Tigers too sharp for Steelers!
MIDDLESBROUGH “Heat Floors” Tigers powered by “STS” produced a superb team display to take a 55-34 win over the Scunthorpe/Sheffield Steelers at the ECCO Arena. The Tigers also took home the aggregate point with a 99-80 two legged success.
Tom Spencer struck paid 13 whilst Kai Ward hit a stunning paid 12 from reserve. The Steelers were led by their skipper Luke Harrison who hit 10. Encouragingly, every Tiger was paid for a win in a dominant home victory in the WSRA National League.
Middlesbrough started in stunning fashion with a maximum as the Tigers guest Cooper Rushen won, and with Spencer 2nd, the hosts had the perfect start.
Heat two saw Steelers reserve Harrison Rogers fall on the opening bend and all four riders were invited back for a re-run. The second staging saw Rogers’ teammate Jamie Etherington fall on the first bend with the youngster excluded from the 3rd staging.
The 3rd re-run saw Ben Rathbone win, and with Ward 2nd, Middlesbrough had already opened up an eight point advantage. Heat three saw the Steelers open their race winners account as Luke Harris won, but with their guest, Ashton Vale 4th, they could not reduce the deficit.
Heat four saw Middlesbrough provide yet another heat advantage as Ace Pijper passed Harrison to win, and with Ward 3rd, Middlesbrough were looking good at 17-7. Heat five saw yet more pain for the visitors as Danny Phillips took a commanding win, and with Stene Pijper 2nd, Middlesbrough were in cruise control.
Tom Spencer registered his second win with a heat six success, and with Rushen 3rd (after holding 2nd until Harrison made the pass), the Tigers were a remarkable 16 points ahead.
Heat seven saw some respite for the visitors as they packed the minor placings behind Ace Pijper to ensure they would not fall even further behind.
However, any respite was short lived as heat eight produced another 5-1 but that only tells half the story. The original staging saw Rushen break the tapes with the talented youngster forced off 15m in the re-run. The re-run saw Rushen produce fireworks as he passed both Steelers for a paid win to hand Middlesbrough a 34-14 lead at the ECCO Arena.
Heat nine saw Scunthorpe/Sheffield secure their maiden heat advantage as Harrison won, and with Etherington passing Phillips for 3rd, the visitors had something to cheer. However, normal order was restored in heat 10 as Rushen won, and with Spencer 2nd, Middlesbrough had racked up 41 points in just 10 heats.
After Ace Pijper won a shared heat 11, the Tigers hit their 8th heat advantage in heat 12 as Phillips took the chequered flag, and with Ward passing both visitors in successive laps, the Tigers had officially secured their first win of 2025.
After Harrison won a shared heat 13, the visitors secured a rare 5-0 advantage in heat 14, but not after plenty of incident. The first staging saw Stene Pijper and Vale collide with Pijper excluded. The re-run saw Rathbone ride well to lead heading into lap four, but much to the dismay of the home fans, Rathbone suffered an engine failure, gifting the Steelers a 5-0 win.
The final heat saw Vale round Spencer for the win, but with Ryan Ingram 4th, the visitors could not end the afternoon on a heat advantage.
Middlesbrough Tigers : 55
1. Tom Spencer = 11+2
2. Cooper Rushen (G) = 9+1
3. Danny Phillips = 8
4. Stene Pijper = 5+2
5. Ace Pijper = 10+1
6. Ben Rathbone = 3
7. Kai Ward = 9+3
Scunthorpe/Sheffield Steelers : 34
1. Nathan Ablitt – R/R = 3
2. Ryan Ingram (G) = 3+1
3. Luke Harris = 6
4. Ashton Vale (G) = 9+1
5. Luke Harrison = 10
6. Jamie Etherington = 3
7. Harrison Rogers = 3+1