Max Fricke delivers perfect performance as Sheffield Tigers Speedway take big lead
SHEFFIELD Tigers put in a superb all-round performance to claim a 57-33 win over Leicester Lions to take the upper hand in their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off semi-final on Thursday.
Roared on by a vocal Owlerton crowd, the Tigers fired as a unit to put themselves firmly in the driving seat ahead of Monday’s second leg in Leicester.
Max Fricke proved a perfect guest with a faultless 15-point maximum in which he was generally yards quicker than his rivals, whilst there was a return to top form for Chris Holder and skipper Josh Pickering provided a couple of trademark blasts from the back.
Team boss Simon Stead said: “I’d have absolutely snatched your hand off for a lead like that beforehand, but it’s leg one and Leicester are a phenomenal outfit at their place.
“We’ve struggled there this season for various reasons, but Max gives us a little more stability at the top, so hopefully that takes some of the pressure off the rest of the guys. There were contributions from everyone tonight.”
“It was great to see Chris back in form. He’s been a little off it for whatever reason the last few weeks, but he’s so good around here and he gives us the firepower that we need.
“A big shout to Max at No.1, he came in and did a sterling job, and that’s really what we’ve been missing because Jack (Holder) does that week in, week out. He’s almost unbeatable here, so the fact that Max has come in and done the job that Jack does really helped us.
“The job is half done, but Stewart (Dickson – Leicester boss) will have his boys firing next week and we will be under no illusions that the task in hand is still only halfway done, so it will be all guns blazing and may the best team win.”