LEICESTER were beaten by Sheffield for the first time this season with a 50-40 defeat at Owlerton.
The Watling JCB Lions left South Yorkshire empty handed, narrowly missing out on the aggregate point (92-88) which was decided in Heat 15.
Leicester got off to a slow start and found themselves 13-5 behind after just three races.
But back-to-back race wins from Sam Masters and then Max Fricke temporarily halted the hosts’ momentum.
Ryan Douglas led another shared race in Heat Seven, but two more Sheffield 4-2s either side saw the South Yorkshire side move into a 30-18 lead.
Lions’ team manager Stewart Dickson studied his programme and nominated skipper Max Fricke as his tactical substitute in Heat Nine. His No.1 rewarded the move as he took the chequered flag, but Masters was forced to the back and the gap remained at 12 points.
Another 4-2 was conceded in Heat Ten but the Lions were back to within ten points as Fricke and Luke Becker came up with the Lions’ first advantage of the night with a convincing 5-1 from the tapes.
A 4-2 and a 3-3 saw Sheffield seal two league points after Heat 13 but with the aggregate point still up for grabs, there was still plenty to race for.
Kyle Howarth ended a testing night on a high by winning Heat 14, and despite reserve substitute Drew Kemp riding solidly throughout, he was pipped to second place on the line by former Lion Nick Morris by 0.03 seconds.
That meant nominated racers Fricke and Douglas needed a 5-1 to force a Super Heat for the aggregate point, but it was home No.1 Jack Holder who made the gate to secure a paid maximum and the extra league point.
Heat-leader Ryan Douglas said: “It wasn’t our best performance here obviously but it wasn’t bad.
“It’s one of those ones where we can take a lesson from it and if we have to come back here I’m sure we can keep it a bit closer.
“Luke’s still getting back into the swing of it and Kyle on his old home track usually puts a few more on the board, so it’s not the end of the world.
“A few of us tried a few different bits of equipment tonight, myself included.
“I think we’re still riding good and we’ll just keep chipping away.”
Leicester have three regular fixtures remaining in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. The next of those sees them feature in the last ever speedway meeting at Perry Barr Stadium on Monday (August 25, 7.30pm) as they face bottom side Birmingham.
SHEFFIELD 50: Jack Holder 14+1, Leon Flint 8+1, Josh Pickering 8, Nick Morris 7+2, Anders Rowe 6, Chris Holder 5, Jye Etheridge 2+1.
LEICESTER 40: Max Fricke 14, Ryan Douglas 10+1, Sam Masters 6+1, Luke Becker 4+1, Kyle Howarth 3, Drew Kemp 3, Joe Thompson 0.
Sheffield win the aggregate point 92-88.
