SHEFFIELD Tigers made a woeful start to their Premier League meeting at Rye House on Sunday - and paid the price with a 61-32 defeat.

Both Andre Compton and Ricky Ashworth, who did the club proud by reaching the semi-finals of the Premier League Pairs 48-hours earlier, rode well but had no support from a long Tigers tale.

Compton was nominated for double points after going 29-7 down and won the race, but his partner was at the back which restricted the race win to a 6-3.

And although Ashworth went on to win some races in impressive style, the meeting was already over as a contest and Sheffield are still looking for their first away league win of the season going into July.

Reserve Lee Smethills teamed up with Joel Parsons for a maximum in Heat 8 - but normal service was resumed when Rye House hit back with a maximum of their own.

Ashworth went on to pick up two wins but Tai Woffinden, the Godson of Tigers owner Neil, was impressive again for the home side and he teamed up with Tommy Allen to have the last word with a 5-1 in Heat 15.

RYE HOUSE: Tai Woffinden 16+2, Tommy Allen 15+3, Robert Mear 9, Chris Neath 8+2, Luke Bowen 8, Daniel Halsey 5+3, Stefan Ekberg R/R.
SHEFFIELD: Andre Compton 11, Ricky Ashworth 10, Joel Parsons 3+1, Kyle Hughes 3, Lee Smethills 3, Ben Wilson 2, Paul Cooper 0.