SHEFFIELD WINDOW CENTRE TIGERS last league meeting of 2013 was ruined by awful weather as torrential rain marred Thursday’s clash with Somerset.

The weather had been fine in Sheffield all day until a heavy downpour at seven o’clock, where the perfectly-prepared Owlerton circuit was ruined by 40 minutes worth of rain.

It stopped just in time for racing to begin though, and it was Somerset who started much the better with a string of early heat advantages.

After three races both sets of riders agreed to allow extensive work on the track, with the whole top surface taken off just to make the track raceable again. After some brilliant work from the track staff the action resumed but then the rain returned.

Both sets of riders agreed to carry on and it was to their credit that they managed 12 heats in awful conditions, with Somerset grabbing all four league points to take them to the summit of the Premier League table.

They were simply faster to the first turn than the Tigers and they fully deserved their victory, although both recent meetings between the two sides have been marred by horrendous weather.

Facundo Albin earned every one of his nine points and arguably deserved more, while Ricky Wells was the only Sheffield rider to win a heat as he notched two race victories among his seven points.

Team manager David Hoggart praised both sets of riders for trying to ride through the conditions; “Everyone was up for it and that’s why they gave it a go, it was very difficult conditions and the way the weather turned it was never going to be a proper speedway meeting.

“Somerset were desperate to get all four league points and they took some risks they probably wouldn’t have normally in those conditions, but 100% credit to both teams for giving it a go and trying to entertain the public.”

The Tigers’ next meeting sees them visit the Eddie Wright Raceway for the Retro Cup, which sees a 13-heat format with a Rider of the Night second half (3pm).

Sheffield; Facundo Albin 9, Ricky Wells 7, Richie Worrall 6, Andre Compton 2, Danny Maassen 1, Max Clegg 0, Adam Roynon R/R.

Somerset; Nick Morris 9, Charles Wright 9, Jason Doyle 7+1, Alex Davies 7, Josh Grajczonek 6+1, Kyle Newman 5, Oliver Greenwood 4+1.