Cubs edge tenacious Tigers
Sheffield Cubs defeated the Middlesbrough “Heat Floors” Tigers in a nip and tuck battle in the Steel City. Despite defeat, the Tigers were more than a match for their opponents and led for long periods of the contest. Jack Smith top scored with 14 for the hosts whilst Ben Trigger hit a confidence boosting 11 for Middlesbrough.
The meeting began in fortunate fashion for the Tigers as Sheffield looked set for a 5-1 until Sheldon Davies suffered a puncture which allowed Jake Mulford and Ben Rathbone through to claim a share of the spoils.
After a shared heat 2 won impressively by the Tigers debutant Kai Ward, Middlesbrough struck the first blow with a big 5-1 but not before some drama in the first staging! With the Tigers on a 5-1, Mickie Simpson picked up major drive and crashed, but thankfully, Simpson walked away unscathed. The re-run saw Jamie Halder and Danny Phillips pick up an impressive 5-1 over Luke Harrison, much to the delight of the Tigers management.
A second shared heat of the meeting followed in heat 4 as Ace Pijper took his first WSRA National Development League home win of the season, but with both Tigers, (Ben Trigger and Kai Ward) packing the minor placings, the Cubs could not gain an advantage. The Tigers stretched their advantage to six points as Mulford took his first win of the night, and with Rathbone in 3rd, the Tigers had relative comfort at 12-18.
After a shared heat won by the impressive Jack Smith, the hosts closed the gap with a 4-2 advantage as Ace Pijper took the chequered flag, and with Kean Dicken in 3rd, the Tigers lead was cut to 4. The hosts then drew level with a big 5-1 in heat 8 as Sheldon Davies opened his account for the evening whilst Stene Pijper passed Ben Rathbone for an important home heat advantage.
After Middlesbrough and Redcar’s Ben Trigger took a tapes to flag heat 9 win in a shared race, the Cubs took the lead for the first time as Smith passed Halder for the win, and with Davies in 3rd ahead of Tigers skipper Danny Phillips, the Steel City side held the impetus on home shale.
After Ace Pijper edged Jake Mulford in a shared heat 11, Danny Phillips took his first chequered flag as the Tigers skipper won heat 12, but with Will Hocaniuk at the back, the Tigers still trailed with 3 heats to go. Heat 13 saw Trigger and Mulford succumb to Jack Smith and Ace Pijper which secured the match for the hosts as they extended their lead to 42-36 at Owlerton Stadium.
After the mightily impressive Halder held off Harrison for a heat 14 win in a shared race, Ben Trigger lowered Jack Smith’s colours by winning heat 15, but with the hosts packing the minor placings, they secured a hard fought 48-42 win and the WSRA National Development League points.
Sheffield Cubs = 48
1. Jack Smith = 14
2. Sheldon Davies = 4
3. Mickie Simpson = 4+2
4. Luke Harrison = 5
5. Ace Pijper = 12+2
6. Kean Dicken = 3+2
7. Stene Pijper = 6+1
Middlesbrough = 42
1. Jake Mulford = 7
2. Ben Rathbone = 4+2
3. Danny Phillips = 5+1
4. Jamie Halder = 10
5. Ben Trigger = 11
6. William Hocaniuk = 1+1
7. Kai Ward = 4+1