Southwick steals show for Tigers

A SHALE-splattered Tom Spencer emerged the hero as Middlesbrough claimed only their second victory of the season to retain hopes of avoiding finishing bottom of the National Development League for the second successive season.

- By KEITH McGHIE

But it was the control and patience of top scoring teenager Charlie Southwick, in increasingly wet and greasy conditions, that kept the Heat Floors Tigers in a position to snatch the single point success in the last heat of the final race of 2025 at the ECCO Arena.

The basement battle will now be decided at Leicester tomorrow where currently bottom Belle Vue contest their last match of the campaign.

Yet most onlookers thought it would be over when Spencer and Stene Pijper, both of whom have bounced back from injury-ridden seasons, were named to contest heat 15 - the nominated race - against high scoring Will Cairns and Freddie Hodder, with the Manchester side leading 42-41.