STOKE Easy Rider Potters went down to a 55-40 defeat against the Sheffield Tigers at the Owlerton Stadium in the Premier Trophy on Thursday night.

 Stoke team boss Malcolm Vasey said “It was a battling display by three of the riders tonight with Taylor Poole leading the way with a seventeen point haul. Andrew Tully fought well for his points and scored double figures for us and James Holder deserved more points for his efforts. Holder started well in the early heats but suffered from being off gate four in the latter heats as I had to swap riders around and make changes. To reach forty points was an achievement around here as it’s difficult at the best of times and for a team lacking in confidence it was an acceptable performance but more is still required.” 

The Easy Rider Potters fell behind in heat two as Paul Cooper and Arlo Bugeja took maximum points over Taylor Poole and James Holder to give the Tigers an 8-4 lead. Sheffield extended our lead in heat three as they gained a 4-2 race win as Richard Hall took the chequered flag ahead of Potters youngster Ricky Wells who fought for the four laps with Tigers Hugh Skidmore, Wells finally getting the better of Skidmore coming off the final turn to take second place after the two riders swapped places several times but the Tigers extend their lead to six points.

 The Tigers extended their lead in heat five as Hall and Skidmore gained a 5-1 heat win over Andrew Tully and Michal Rajkowski in heat five to put Sheffield ten points up as they lead the Potters 20-10.

 The Potters stemmed the tide with two drawn heats as teenage reserve Taylor Poole firstly beat Premier League Riders Champion and Tigers skipper Ricky Ashworth in heat six, Poole then took his second victory in successive races this team beating Josef Franc  and Paul Cooper in heat seven after he came in to replace Stoke skipper Klaus Jakobsen who was excluded for touching the tapes after referee Peter Clarke seemed to hold the tapes at the start, Poole’s partner Ricky Wells suffered a blown engine at the start line, the Potters trail 26-16 at the halfway stage of the meeting.

 The Potters fell further behind in heat eight as Josh Auty and Bugeja take a 4-2 heat win, but the Tigers pairing were split by James Holder who just could not find away past Auty despite a valiant effort by the Potters reserve as Stoke trail by twelve points.

 Stoke team manager Malcolm Vasey nominated Taylor Poole as a tactical ride in heat nine which was won by Hall from Poole with Skidmore taking third for a drawn 4-4 heat. The Potters suffered with Hynek Stichauer suffering an engine failure while in second place costing the Loomer Road side a possible heat advantage, the Tigers maintain their twelve point lead though.

 Sheffield extend their lead to fourteen points as Auty takes Potters skipper Jakobsen wide going into the second lap to take victory with Ashworth taking third place to give the Tigers a 4-2 heat win.

 Easy Rider Potters guest Andrew Tully takes a comfortable victory in heat eleven to stem the tide but Franc and Cooper keep James Holder who replaced Michal Rajkowski at bay to maintain the fourteen point lead as Stoke trail 41-27.

 James Holder replaces Ricky Wells in heat twelve as Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey attempts to find a way back into the meeting, Poole takes victory but Holder cannot find a way past Hall or Bugeja  for a drawn heat. The Potters nominated guest Andrew Tully as a tactical ride in heat thirteen and Poole came in to replace Stichauer. Tully made no mistake as he took victory but Ashworth and Franc filled the minor placings the Potters did though gain a 6-3 heat advantage but the Tigers still lead 47-36.

 Sheffield sealed all three points with maximum points from Skidmore and Cooper over Jakobsen and Holder to lead 52-37 with one heat remaining.

 There was drama in heat fifteen as Andrew Tully lifts on the second bend taking him into Sheffield’s Richard Hall with both riders hitting the deck, referee Peter Clarke immediately stops the race, both riders get to their feet and walk back to the pits. Referee Clarke excluded Tully as the cause of the stoppage but in the rerun Taylor Poole stormed to victory as the Tigers pairing of Auty and Hall swapped places for several laps before Auty moved into second to eventually challenge Poole on the final lap the Potters youngster holding on to take his fourth victory of the night for a drawn final heat.

 SHEFFIELD 55: Richard Hall 12+1, Josh Auty 9+1, Ricky Ashworth 8, Paul Cooper 7+3, Hugh Skidmore 7+1, Josef Franc 7+1, Arlo Bugeja 5+3

 STOKE 40: Taylor Poole 17, Andrew Tully 11+1, James Holder 5, Klaus Jakobsen 3, Michal Rajkowski 2, Ricky Wells 2, Hynek Stichauer 0