SHEFFIELD Tigers withstood a strong fightback from Edinburgh to confirm their place in the quarter-finals of the Knockout Cup.
Tigers took a 28-point lead to Armadale but always expected the Monarchs to provide a strong test on their own circuit, and so it proved - and there were some anxious moments before progression was ensured.
The home side, with Kevin Wolbert in unstoppable form, raced into a 25-11 advantage after six races, and Tigers lost Emiliano Sanchez who was battered and bruised after crashes in each of his first two rides.
Shane Parker steadied the nerves by winning Heat 7 with Josh Auty third for a 4-2, but Edinburgh regained momentum and had clawed back 18-points of the deficit with five heats to go.
Falls for home reserves Kyle Howarth and Lee Dicken in successive races helped Tigers’ cause and left the Monarchs needing three straight 5-1s to snatch overall victory – and they achieved the first in Heat 13 through Wolbert and Craig Cook.
But Sheffield ended the issue in Heat 14 when Parker and Lambert, who both performed superbly, raced away from Kalle Katajisto for the tie-clinching 5-1, which sets up a quarter-final tie against Workington or Redcar – with the Comets the likelier opponents as they won 46-44 on Teesside in their first leg on Thursday.
EDINBURGH 55: Kevin Wolbert 15, Craig Cook 11+1, Andrew Tully 9+1, Matthew Wethers 8+2, Kalle Katajisto 7, Kyle Howarth 4+1, Lee Dicken 1+1.
