Leeds Knights do double over Hull Seahawks to boost title hopes as Sheffield Steeldogs keep play-off hopes alive

Steve Weeks’ team had gone down 10-4 the previous weekend in Telford but held off several fightbacks from their Shropshire visitors to snap a four-game losing streak.

Brady Doxey opened the scoring at 2.16, Jack Brammer doubling the lead before Jesse Sutton and Scott McKenzie hit back for the Tigers, only for Jonathan Kirk to send the hosts into the first break 3-2 ahead.

A James Spurr double put the Steeldogs 5-2 ahead by the halfway stage, Telford reducing the deficit going into the third through McKenzie at 33.55.

Sutton and Finley Howells pulled the Tigers level by the 47th minute but couldn’t prevent the Steeldogs restoring their two-goal cushion through Brammer and Vladislav Vulkanovs.

Elsewhere, Leeds Knights now need just one win from their final six games to retain their regular season league title.

Two goals apiece from Kieran Brown and Jordan Buesa, plus a 14th-minute opener from Mac Howlett, were enough for the Knights to overcome Yorkshire rivals Hull Seahawks twice in as many nights, having won 6-4 at home the previous evening.

They could win the title on Saturday when they visit second-placed Milton Keynes Lightning, whose chances of catching the Knights were further dented when they lost 5-4 at Bees after a shoot-out.

On Saturday, the Knights went ahead at 13.15 through Jake Witkowski, although Hull were level before the end of the first through Owen Sobchak, who then put his team ahead at 23.30.

A second for Witkowski dragged the hosts level at 27.37 before Buesa finished off a short-handed 2-on-1 breakaway with Howlett at 29.59.

Matt Haywood made it 4-2 at 41.14 but Hull were level 28 seconds later through Owen Bruton.

Leeds restored their two-goal lead through Buesa at 51.24 but the visitors hit back quickly through Brock Bartholomew.

Haywood set up Howlett for a second shorthanded strike at 57.25 to seal the points.