Sheffield ran out comfortable 54-36 winners against reigning Premier League Champions Rye House last night at Owlerton.

The Tigers were never seriously threatened by the Rockets who were missing teenage star Tai Woffinden.  Skipper Andre Compton bounced back from his recent injury to top-score with 13+2 and Lee Smethills was also in the points following his long layoff, scoring 10.

Sheffield ran just four last places all evening and took the lead with a 5-1 from Smethills and his reserve partner Kyle Hughes in Heat 2, with a series of heat advantages subsequently putting the Tigers in total control.

Even a six-pointer on a tactical ride from Rockets' top man Stefan Ekberg in Heat 11 would have made little difference to the outcome, but as things turned out the race was a disaster for the visitors. Ekberg was adjudged to have brought down Ben Wilson when the Tigers man fell on the fourth bend and so scored no points with Wilson winning the re-run ahead of a battling Robert Mear.

Rye House's experienced Swedish rider did gain some revenge by winning Heat 13 before Tigers riders took the final two heats, Paul Cooper in Heat 14 and Compton, who improved as the night went on, in the last race.

SHEFFIELD:
Andre Compton 13+2, Joel Parsons 10+2, Ben Wilson 10+1, Lee Smethills 10, Paul Cooper 8+1, Kyle Hughes 3+1, Ricky Ashworth r/r.

RYE HOUSE:
Stefan Ekberg 9, Tommy Allen 7+2, Tomas Topinka 7, Robert Mear 5, Chris Neath 5, Luke Bowen 3+1, Daniel Halsey 0.