Tigers gear up for crucial match play-off bid

SHEFFIELD Tigers chief Neil Machin has paid tribute to his team ahead of their crucial showdown with Workington at Owlerton tomorrow.

The weekend win at Newport put them in the frame after 28 meetings for a play-off place with the top four teams each doing battle for the Premier League title.

Workington are one of those teams also in contention so victory for Sheffield by more than eight-points would probably put the Comets out of the picture.

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Said Machin: "It's a remarkable effort from the boys because we've had more than our fair share of injury problems this season.

"Andre Compton, James Cockle and James Birkinshaw have all been hurt recently, and Ricky Ashworth was hurt mid-season - that's over half the team - and yet we have still maintained a solid challenge for the top four with the occasional blip along the way.

"We're unbeaten at home and that's something to be proud of, but we need to ensure we complete the programme with wins against Workington tomorrow and Newport next week.

"We need six points from those two meetings and if we can do that then we should make it into the play-offs. At one stage this season, before we had won an away meeting, it looked like we had no chance.

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"It's to the credit of the team that they've kept going. The spirit within the camp is great and we're really keen to keep it going and who knows what can happen in the play-offs!

"Everyone says King's Lynn are the team to beat and I have to agree because their home form is amazing, but we have to do our job and qualify and then see what we can achieve in the final. It would take a fool to write us off, we can still win the league."