Watch: Sheffield speedway skipper Josh Pickering's verdict on win over Birmingham

The club bounced back from last week’s defeat at home to Leicester, which saw them exit the KO Cup, with a 50-40 Owlerton win over Birmingham, and you can watch his comments here.

He said: “We got there in the end. It was quite close throughout and they used their tactical (substitute, Tobiasz Musielak) and it paid dividends for them when they did that.

“But we got there in the end. I think we got 10 points up, so it was a good result.

He felt number one Jack Holder, unable to ride on the night for family reasons, was missed, although both he and Chris Holder won their rider replacement rides in his place.

He said: “I know I got a win. I think Chris did as well. But other than that, I'm sure that regardless of what points were scored, just what he brings to the team is you can't really replace, you know, so we did well to win without him.

Asked if Sheffield were back to their best, he added: “We're on the way up. There's obviously always room for improvement. We'll keep battling away and continue to try and find those little bits.

“Toby (Birmingham’s former Sheffield rider, Tobiasz Musielak) rode really well tonight and, he'd done me all three times, but it's just the way it goes sometimes.

“We win and lose as a team, but we've still got our unbeaten record here in the league and we look to continue to do that.

“I think after that result tonight, we go back to the top of the league.

“We're in a good position.”

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He was impressed by 16-year-old guest rising Star William Cairns’ first performance in the Rowe Motor Oils Premiership, and felt the youngster did very well.

He said: “(He’s got a) bright future, as everyone's talking about, but he’s a quite level-headed kid and, you know he's got good people around him.”

“He's got good equipment under him and he's got a good attitude to go with it. He started off his first ever race in the Premiership with a win. I know he'd done that last night, the championship in Poole as well. So, yes, he fit right in here tonight.”

Pickering, who scored 14 and a bonus, said he had a difficult start to the evening, having noticed a crack in the frame of his bike, which had to be replaced by his mechanic. He was also struggling with a clutch issue at one stage.