Speedway: Sheffield leave it late to knock Belle Vue out of cup with superheat drama

Sheffield knocked Belle Vue out of speedway’s Knock Out Cup with a late show that forced a superheat

The Tru7 Group Tigers, with Plymouth boss Garry May deputising for Sheffield manager Simon Stead on the night, looked like they could be on their way out of the tournament after heat 12.

At that stage, the scores were level on the night, but with the Aces eight ahead on aggregate from their first leg win in Manchester.

But a late Tigers’ turnaround transformed the meeting.

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A couple of heat advantages had given Sheffield a slender two point lead after heat three, But eight of the next nine heats finished drawn 3-3, with Belle Vue levelling the scores up on the night in heat eight.

The Aces appeared to be getting their tactics spot on. While many of those heats saw Sheffield riders win the race, tight team riding by the visitors, often holding the second and third spots, frequently stopped the Tigers getting into the minor points they needed to chip away at the first leg lead.

Heat nine, won by Belle Vue’s Dan Bewley, however was important for the Tigers, Bewley and Connor Mountain appeared on course for a 5-1 that would have damaged South Yorkshire hopes, But first, Josh Pickering found a way round former Tiger Mountain, and then Chris Holder forced his way into third on the last corner to make it 3-3.

Belle Vue’s dam then began to show cracks in heat 13. Jack Holder and Tai Woffinden battled to the front, before Bewley edged past Woffinden. But the 4-2 heat advantage kept the Tigers in it.

Another crack appeared as Tigers took heat 14, again 4-2. Pickering performed a vital overtake to win the heat ahead of Belle Vue’s Ben Cook, while Tigers reserve Jason Edwards held on to third place despite close attention from Connor Bailey.

With Sheffield then 44-40 ahead, the pressure was on Jack Holder and Woffinden to win 5-1 to take the quarter final to a super heat. The pair gated well, and held on to achieve the scoreline that was needed, showing immaculate team riding skills to hold Bewley back in third, despite the Aces star breathing right down their necks.

With the scores level on aggregate after Sheffield’s 49-41 win on the night, it was all to be decided with a superheat. This time, Holder and Woffinden went up against Bewley and Brady Kurtz. It may have been slightly different personnel, but the result was the same, with the Sheffield pair teaming up to shut out Bewley again, securing a semi final against Kings Lynn in the next round.

Sheffield 49: Tai Woffinden 13, Jack Holder 12+2, Chris Holder 9+1, Josh Pickering 7+1, Kyle Howarth 3, Jason Edwards 3, Dan Gilkes 2.

Belle Vue 41: Dan Bewley 10+1, Norick Blodorn 7, Jaimon Lidsey 6+2, Ben Cook 6, Brady Kurtz 4+1, Connor Mountain 4+1, Connor Bailey 4.

Aggregate scores tied (90-90) – Sheffield beat Belle Vue 7-2 in Super Heat