SHEFFIELD let a six point lead slip as they suffered a 48-42 defeat at Redcar.

t means their run of successive league wins comes to an end at 14 after being forced to settle for a consolation league point at the Media Prima Arena.

The Window Centre Tigers drew first blood in heat three courtesy of a 5-1 from Lasse Bjerre and guest Ryan Douglas who was standing in for Josh Bates after failing a late fitness test with a shoulder problem following a fall at home.

Skipper Kyle Howarth and Georgie Wood recorded a 4-2 in the fourth as Sheffield opened up a 15-9 lead.

But the gap was reduced to just two points before reserve Jan Graversen and Douglas secured a second maximum of the evening for the visitors in Heat Eight before the rain began to fall once more.

After a short delay, former Tiger Jason Garrity was forced to withdraw from the meeting for the hosts after falling on the second lap, leaving Howarth with nowhere to go but straight into the back of his old team-mate.

While the Bears dug deep to chip away at the Tigers’ lead, Lasse Bjerre took a second race win of the night to restore a four point advantage over his ex employers with just three races remaining.

But Redcar battled away and struck consecutive 5-1s to hit the front for the first time with one race remaining before securing a 4-2 in Heat 15 to edge a tense encounter in a last race decider.

Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “Of course we’re very disappointed because we wanted to keep our winning streak going for as long as we possibly could.

“Luck appeared to be on our side but we didn’t take advantage and credit where it’s due, we were eventually beaten by the better side on the night.

“If we try and search for a positive then of course it’s that we were still able to add to our tally against a tough Redcar side. And when you consider we were without both Tood (Kurtz) and Josh (Bates) that’s not a bad effort at all on reflection.

“What we have to do now is regroup very quickly for a couple of very important home meetings on Sunday.”

Stead’s men welcome Redcar to Owlerton on Sunday as part of a double-header which also sees Sheffield face Ipswich in the first fixture with a start time of 3.30.

REDCAR 48: Charles Wright 14, Ben Barker 12+1, Jonas B Andersen 8+2, Tobias Busch 6, Danny Ayres 4, Jason Garrity 3, Ellis Perks 1.

SHEFFIELD 42: Lasse Bjerre 12, Jan Graversen 8+2, Kyle Howarth 7, Ryan Douglas 6+2, Josh Grajczonek 6, Georgie Wood 3+2, Todd Kurtz R/R.