SHEFFIELD suffered more derby misery at the hands of Scunthorpe tonight.

The Tigers went down to a third home defeat of the season against their big rivals – despite more brilliance from skipper Simon Stead.

The Sheffield number one was on the receiving end of a 5-1 in the opener, but then roared to five successive victories in his remaining rides.

But he was left to fight a lone battle at times as a Tigers side without Ty Proctor, who was in action for Elite League side Wolverhampton, came up short.

Incredibly Stead was not the highest scorer on show as Scorpions reserve Thomas Jorgensen piled up paid 18. Stead did at least have the satisfaction of ending the visiting Dane’s maximum bid by winning the finale, but the writing was already on the wall by then.

A 5-1 from former Tigers man Josh Auty and the outstanding Jorgensen in the penultimate race had condemned Sheffield to defeat.

They had earlier fallen six points adrift inside the opening three races, but clawed their way back to hold a narrowly lead after a Leigh Lanham and Andre Compton 5-1 in heat five was followed by back-to-back 4-2s inspired by Stead successes.

The lead lasted only a matter of moments before a 5-1 from Nicolai Klindt and Jorgensen put them behind again.

It was a position from which they would never recover and it left team boss Joe Screen cutting a frustrated figure.

Screen said: “I’m pretty disheartened right now. You never want to lose at home in speedway – and certainly not three times in one season to your rivals.

“We got ourselves back into the meeting at one stage following a poor start, but Scunthorpe just proved too strong with their Owlerton track specialists and a reserve scoring so well.

“We have got a proper number one in ‘Steady’ but unfortunately we have too many other people struggling.

“We haven’t had the meetings that other teams have had and the riders are doing everything they can to get it right.”

Sheffield now face a week out of action until entertaining Edinburgh in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final next Thursday (June 19).

They have a mountain to climb against the unbeaten Monarchs after crashing to a 63-28 defeat in the opening leg last Friday.

Tigers’ next league action comes at fellow slow starters Peterborough on Wednesday, June 25.

SHEFFIELD: Simon Stead 16, Andre Compton 7+1, Leigh Lanham 7+1, Taylor Poole 5, Josh Bates 3+1, Simon Nielsen 2+1, Ty Proctor r/r

SCUNTHORPE: Thomas Jorgensen 16+2, Nicolai Klindt 10, Josh Auty 10, Ryan Douglas 6+1, David Howe 4+1, Ashley Birks 3+1, Matt Williamson 0