SHEFFIELD Tigers are in the driving seat in their Knockout Cup tie with Edinburgh after a 57-36 first leg win at Owlerton.
Reg Wilson's side will fancy their chances of progress when the sides meet again in Scotland tonight - but the Sheffield Window Centre-backed Tigers are likely to be without James Birkinshaw who pulled out of the first leg after only one ride. He was suffering a reaction to two crashes at Berwick last weekend.
Reserve Paul Cooper turned in a heroic performance at reserve with paid 14 from five rides. Apart from slotting in for the injured Birkinshaw he also came to the rescue in a dramatic heat 14 when Edinburgh gave lively Italian Daniele Tessari a tactical substitute ride.
Cooper made the gate and was locked in a titanic battle with Monarch Henrik Moller before the Dutch racer dumped him in the third turn fence and was promptly excluded.
Cooper bravely dusted himself down for the re-run and fought off Tessari's challenge to make sure Tigers kept a healthy advantage for tonight's clash at Armadale.
At one stage it looked as though Sheffield wouldn't have enough points on the board, especially when Edinbugh carded a 7-1 advantage in heat 11 as Aussie Matt Wethers finished second behind team-mate Ronnie Correy on a tactical double-points ride.
But two 5-1s and a 4-2 heat advantage in the final four races made sure that Tigers head north with a sizeable cushion.
TIGERS: Andre Compton 14+1. Ricky Ashworth 14+1, Paul Cooper 11+3, Ben Wilson 9+1, Joel Parsons 5, James Cockle 4+1, James Birkinshaw 0. EDINBURGH: Matt Wethers 10, Daniele Tessari 9, Henrik Moller 6, Ronnie Correy 6, William Lawson 3+1, Andrew Tully 2.
FOLLOW THE ACTION FROM ARMADALE LIVE: Call Tigers SpeedwayCall throughout the night, 09068 664 670 - calls 60p/min.
