SHEFFIELD Tigers saw their Premier League title hopes suffer a setback with a 48-43 defeat at Redcar on Friday.

The Owlerton side, fresh from impressive wins at Somerset and at home to the Teesside outfit, had high hopes of another success.

But they had to settle for a consolation point after a hard fought meeting at the South Tees Motorsport Park.

Former Middlesbrough man Shane Parker was the late hero with two wins in the final two races to make sure the Owlerton men claimed a losing bonus point.

After Sheffield had drubbed the Bears at Owlerton just 24 hours earlier, the Teessiders returned the compliment with two 5-1s in the first five heats to wrench open a 21-9 lead.

Eric Boocock’s side did reduce the when Simon Lambert and Parker notched a 5-1in the seventh, while Sheffield went on to provide five of the last six heat winners as guest Josef Franc – in for World U21 Semi Final-bound Josh Auty - claimed two crucial victories

But Sheffield simply couldn’t find enough strength in depth to make a dent in the hosts’ slender advantage and they went into the final two races trailing 43-36 with Parker’s back-to-back victories giving Tigers some reward, including victory in the finale over the previously unbeaten Matej Kus.

Boocock’s side now head to Berwick on Saturday, for their fourth meeting in five days, Aaron Summers guesting for Auty.

REDCAR BEARS: J. Lyons 13 ,M. Kus 12+2, G. Havelock 8+1, A. Summers 5+1, P. Larsen 5+1, R. Branford 3, L. Tomicek 2.

TIGERS: S. Parker 12+2, J. Franc 8+1 , R. Ashworth 8, S. Lambert 7+1, H. Skidmore 7, A. Birks 1+1.