Sheffield Tigers secure repeat play-off semi-final showdown with Leicester Lions
SHEFFIELD TIGERS secured a place in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-offs for a sixth successive season following a nervy 50-39 home win over Northampton.
The Tigers required one single league point to mathematically confirm their place in the top four, but had to dig deep against the bottom club’s makeshift side on a night where mechanical gremlins plagued the Owlerton outfit in the first half of the contest.
For the second year in a row, Sheffield will face Leicester Lions in the semi-finals.
A makeshift Foxes side actually led 27-26 after Heat 9 before the Tigers came on strong in the second half of the meeting.
Skipper Josh Pickering led the way for the hosts with 12 points and guest Max Fricke added 9+1. Foxes skipper Jaimon Lidsey scored 10, and guest Jason Edwards picked up nine.
Tigers’ team boss, Simon Stead, said: “I’m just pleased to get it over the line to be honest.
“It was tighter than we would’ve liked but I’m hopeful that we got rid of all the bad luck that we could possibly have had; I’d rather get that out the way this week rather than next week.
“We had a lot of engine-related problems in the pits but the boys have the chance over the next few days to get those sorted because we can’t afford for any mechanical mishaps once the play-offs are here.”
The first leg against Leicester will be held at Owlerton next Thursday (September 24, 7.30pm) with the decider at the Hydroscand Arena one week later (Thursday, October 1, 7.30pm).
Sheffield Tigers – 50: Josh Pickering 12, Max Fricke 9+1, Jye Etheridge 7+3, Anders Rowe 7+1, Leon Flint 7, Chris Holder 4+1, Luke Killeen 4.
Northampton – 39: Jaimon Lidsey 10, Jason Edwards 9, Sam Masters 7+1, Adam Ellis 6+1, Mitch McDiarmid 5+1, Luke Harrison 2, Kye Thomson R/R.
Sheffield win the aggregate point 95-84.