DISAPPOINTED but not disheartened were the sentiments of boss Simon Stead after six-man Sheffield lost 49-41 at Scunthorpe.
The Sheffield Window Centre Tigers came within one point of gaining a return from a tough Championship Shield derby clash at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
Hopes were high after Todd Kurtz and Kyle Howarth opened with a maximum but the Scorpions soon struck with Josh Auty and Jake Allen heading for paid maximums until heat 15.
Charles Wright was the only Tigers charger to join top scorer Howarth in double figures with Stead citing the absence of Josh Bates as mitigation for the setback.
“We expected a tough night and so it proved,” said Stead.
“The lads gave it their best shot but anyone could see the departments where we struggled, particularly in covering Josh.
“Lasse (Bjerre) has had a couple of off nights, he was not quite happy with his machinery and if either of those things had been a different perhaps the result would have been too.
“It is onwards and upwards, though. We look forward to Thursday and being able to put in a strong performance at home before an exciting return leg at Redcar.”
While the result did not go his way, Stead was still delighted with the standard of racing in the double header across two days.
“The past two meetings have been a credit to British speedway,” he added on this meeting and the 52-38 home success 24 hours earlier.
“Any newcomers to the sport at our place or Scunthorpe will certainly be coming back because the commitment, racing and entertainment from both sets of riders was second to none.
“Both teams deserve enormous credit, they have been two incredible speedway meetings.”
The result puts Scunthorpe top of the Championship Shield’s Northern Group by a point but Sheffield have a meeting in hand.
SCUNTHORPE 49: Josh Auty 13+1, Jake Allen 10+2, Jason Garrity 10, Gino Manzares 6, Thomas Jorgensen 5+1, Stefan Nielsen 5, Danny Phillips 0.
SHEFFIELD 41: Kyle Howarth 13+1, Charles Wright 11, Todd Kurtz 6, James Shanes 5+1, Lasse Bjerre 4+1, Jack Smith 2, Josh Bates r/r.
