SHEFFIELD dropped points for the first time this season in a 50-38 League Cup defeat at Scunthorpe on Friday.

The Sheffield Window Centre-backed side were in contention for a consolation point until the closing stages when everything went wrong.

Skipper Simon Stead shed a chain in his last two outings on a track described as "unpredictable" by Tigers boss David Hoggart.

And whilst Scunthorpe, who lost Josh Bates to a suspected ankle injury early on, were always likely winners it was a major disappointment for Sheffield to come away empty handed.

Said Hoggart: "I'd describe the track as unpredictable but I won't use that as an excuse because it's the same for both sides.

"There is no doubt we were better than the scoreline suggests, in fact I'd say we were more than a match for Scunthorpe and they knew they'd been in a tough meeting.

"I'm just disappointed we couldn't take a point which I felt we deserved but we weren't helped by certain circumstances, including a refereeing decision."

Tigers now need to win their final League Cup tie with Leicester at Owlerton on Thursday to stay in the competition.

SCUNTHORPE: Josh Auty 11+2, Ashley Birks 11+1, Tomas Jorgensen 8, David Howe 8, Michael Palm-Toft 6+2, Ryan Douglas 6+2, Josh Bates 0.

SHEFFIELD: Simon Stead 8, Richard Hall 8, Ricky Wells 6+1, Joe Haines 5+1, Facundo Albin 4+1, Damien Koppe 4, Jake Knight 3.