HUGH Skidmore produced his best performance of the season in Sheffield’s 62-30 Premier League demolition of Plymouth at Owlerton.
The Australian raced to a hefty 14+2 tally and only missed out on a paid maximum when he was beaten by Ben Barker in the final race of the evening.
But it was a good all-round display by the Tigers as they broke the sixty-point barrier for the first time this year. Skipper Ricky Ashworth scored an unbeaten 14+1, with Shane Parker and Simon Lambert chipping in with 14 and 10+2 respectively. Sheffield also welcomed back Emiliano Sanchez from his recent injury and the Argentinean recovered from two pointless rides to finish with two paid wins.
The league’s newcomers were no match for the rampant Tigers who quickly opened up a 18-6 lead after Heat 4.
This signalled the opportunity for Barker to take a tactical ride, but after being pushed wide on the first bend he couldn’t make his double-point ride count and the Devils conceded another 5-1.
The onslaught continued and the Yorkshiremen led 45-15 after Heat 10, but Plymouth did momentarily reduce the arrears with a 5-3 when Bunyan (tactical ride) and Barker followed home race winner Parker in Heat 11.
Another Devils Barker and Bunyan race advantage did follow in Heat 13 - this time a 4-2 over Parker – but the Tigers finished strongly and ended the night with fourteen of the fifteen race winners.
