SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead says his side’s self-belief played a massive part in their Premiership Knockout Cup success over Ipswich.
The Tru7 Group Tigers produced yet another Foxhall fightback, just as they did in the league last month, coming from ten points down to earn a 45-45 draw in the second leg on Thursday.
It secured a 100-80 aggregate victory as the Steel City side regained the top-flight cup trophy from last year’s winning Witches.
Josh Pickering kept up his staggering form dropping just two points whilst Chris Holder recovered from a last place in his first outing to win three of his final four rides.
Captain Kyle Howarth kept himself focussed after a testing opening couple of rides to hit back and show some real fight to reach paid double figures, as did Jack Holder who went unbeaten in his final two rides after starting with three consecutive third places.
With the top four scoring 42 points between them, that took the pressure off young reserve duo Jason Edwards and Dan Gilkes who will have learnt plenty from the Foxhall experience once again.
“It was another great effort from the lads,” Stead said.
“The result on Monday took a little bit of pressure off us and a lot of the hard work was done then.
“Ipswich came at us strongly early on but I always felt like the gates were in their favour to start with so we didn’t panic because we knew that swing was coming our way.
“It was very similar to when we came here in the league a few weeks ago so we just knuckled down as a group and maintained the belief that we’d have enough in the end.
“That’s how it turned out as well and fair play to the lads because it was a real, gritty performance to then also earn the draw on the night as well.
“It’s brilliant to add yet another trophy to the cabinet and now we can start looking towards the play-offs because we want to complete that double.”
The reigning league champions now take a small break ahead of their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Play-Off Semi-Finals.
Their first leg against rivals Belle Vue in Manchester takes place on Monday, September 16 with the decider at Owlerton on Thursday, September 19.
PREMIERSHIP KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL, 2nd leg IPSWICH 45: Keynan Rew 14, Tom Brennan 9+2, Dan Thompson 9+1, Danny King 9, Adam Ellis 4+2, James Pearson 0, Jason Doyle R/R. SHEFFIELD 45: Josh Pickering 14+2, Chris Holder 11, Kyle Howarth 9+1, Jack Holder 8+2, Jason Edwards 2, Dan Gilkes 1+1, Tai Woffinden R/R. Sheffield win 100-80 on aggregate.
