SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead admits he was relieved to wake up and read a positive update from Ipswich’s Emil Sayfutdinov.
After a thrilling tussle with Tru7 Group Tigers’ No.1 Jack Holder, the former double European Champion crashed out on the final bend of the last heat decider on Thursday, handing the Owlerton outfit the 5-1 they needed to snatch a 46-44 win.
Sayfutdinov clipped the back straight fence on the last lap before lifting spectacularly as he attempted one final move around Holder on the final bends.
Not only did he pop the air fence at high speed, he was then also collected by home guest Chris Harris, who was in the process of attempting a passing manoeuvre himself, in a second quick fire collision.
But posting on his social media channels in the early hours, Sayfutdinov informed supporters that scans showed no broken bones with a ‘big cut’ on his right buttock appearing to be the worst of his injuries.
Said Stead: “It was a horrible way for the night to end and it’s been quite some time since I heard a crowd fall as silent as it did following that crash.
“At the time, the result was insignificant because the thoughts of every single person in the stadium were with Emil.
“To wake up and read that it’s nowhere near as bad as first feared though and that he appears to have escaped any serious injuries was quite astonishing really and it’s also such a massive relief.
“Emil is a smashing guy as well as a phenomenal speedway rider and after taking the appropriate time he feels he needs to rest and recover, we look forward to welcoming him back to Owlerton in the near future.”
As many anticipated in the build-up, especially with Ipswich the only away side to taste victory at Sheffield this season, it proved to be a tough night for the defending champions against the current league leaders.
Gates one and three proved massively advantageous in the first half of the meeting with both sides registering two 5-1s and a 4-2 apiece in the opening seven races with a shared Heat Three putting the scores at 21-all.
Four consecutive 4-2s between Heats Seven and 10 saw the visitors open up a six point lead - prompting Stead to utilise Jack Holder as a Tactical Substitute in Heat 11.
The Aussie returned to winning ways, having been beaten for the first time by Sayfutdinov in the previous race, whilst Harris came third after Keynan Rew closed the door on him down the back straight of lap two.
After sliding out of Heat Nine, Chris Holder showed his class to pick himself up and take the chequered flag in Heat 12, becoming the first rider to get the better of Sayfutdinov in the process.
The Tigers then pulled level with a 5-1 in Heat 13; Harris producing an unbelievable blast around the outside on the opening turns before being joined out front by Jack Holder.
But the visitors edged ahead once again with one race to go with Dan Thompson finishing ahead of Josh Pickering whilst Jason Edwards was passed by Rew.
The action for the opening three-and-a-half laps of Heat 15 was gripping to say the least. And just when it looked like a Super Heat was on its way for a second successive week, that’s when Sayfutdinov came to grief and the Tigers snatched a last gasp win.
“Looking on the result now, like we did against Leicester last week, we’ve managed to walk away with two league points again when we weren’t really quite at it collectively,” Stead said.
“Everyone knows that we need to improve quite dramatically again in certain areas over the next couple of weeks, but let’s focus on the positive that we’ve taken another step towards cementing our place in the top four.”
Not only did Sheffield move to within two points of Ipswich at the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership standings, they also moved nine clear of Oxford who sit outside the play-off positions in fifth.
The Tigers are back on home shale next Thursday (August 15, 7.30pm) when they host Birmingham, led by last season’s World No.2 Freddie Lindgren.
SHEFFIELD 46: Jack Holder 16+1, Chris Harris 11+1, Kyle Howarth 6+2, Chris Holder 6, Josh Pickering 5+1, Jason Edwards 1, Dan Gilkes 1. IPSWICH 44: Emil Sayfutdinov 13+1, Adam Ellis 9, Keynan Rew 7, Jordan Jenkins 6+2, Dan Thompson 5, Danny King 4, Jason Doyle R/R.
