SHEFFIELD will be left wondering what might have been after a dramatic 46-43 Premier League defeat at Scunthorpe on Friday.

The Tigers looked to be heading to victory leading by two-points going into the final race, but then saw those hopes disappear as both guest Richard Hall and skipper Ricky Ashworth were both excluded.

Hall was the first to fall on the first bend, but with Ashworth well clear in front the race win would have still have given Eric Boocock’s men a narrow victory. However, he also fell and with Hall not under power when the race was stopped it left the Scunthorpe duo of Ben Wilson and Tero Aarnio to ride unopposed in the re-run for the most unlikely of victories.

All appeared to be going so well as a couple of early 5-1s had put them into an eight-point lead and, even when the Scorpions responded to reduce the deficit, Emiliano Sanchez and Simon Lambert quickly restored the eight-point advantage with a maximum in Heat 8.

Scunthorpe then replied with a 5-1 of their own one race later, but Heat 10 saw Ashworth beat home favourite David Howe from the start and Hugh Skidmore passed Thomas Jorgensen for a Tigers 4-2.

Hall then sensationally passed the home pair of Tero Aarnio and David Howe on his way to a share of the points in Heat 13, but when the same Scorpions duo raced to a 4-2 in Heat 13 the Tigers advantage was reduced to just four (41-37).

Another home 4-2 then followed in the penultimate race after a Lambert fall, but with the match almost won in the final race it all suddenly slipped away in the most dramatic of finishes.

SCUNTHORPE 46: Ben Wilson 12, Tero Aarnio 11+2, David Howe 8, Steve Worrall 6+2, Viktor Bergstrom 6+1, Thomas Jorgensen 2, Joe Haines 1+1

SHEFFIELD 43: Richard Hall 10, Ricky Ashworth 10, Hugh Skidmore 6+1, Shane Parker 6, Simon Lambert 4+2, Ashley Birks 4+1, Emiliano Sanchez 3