MATCH REPORT: Twigg stars as Rockets defeat Vikings

Northumbria must surely feel somewhat disappointed to have lost their final league meeting of 2015, an exclusion at the tapes for Jason Keith and a later fall for Daniel Wharrier costing them dearly. With Michael Parr missing from the line up due to injury, the Vikings needed everyone to be on their game and putting in maximum effort to compensate, Wharrier at least certainly stepping it up as he finished the season strongly.

Gavin Parr rode to yet another untroubled and unbeaten score to overhaul Pawel Idziorek as the top averaging rider in the northern league, having done the same against the same opposition a mere quarter of a century ago. For Sheffield meanwhile, Joe Twigg confirmed just why he must surely take the best newcomer of the season’s plaudits, solid back up from Jason Burke and the Mortons enough to take the Rockets on to the win, while Matt Parrot would have scored more but for his own fall late on.

NORTHUMBRIA 84
Gavin Parr 19+1, Jason Keith 16, Dan Wharrier 14, Shane Gray 9, Terry Kirkup 8, Andy Knowles 7, Dan Redshaw 7, Dan Thompson 4+1

SHEFFIELD 95
Joe Twigg 16+1, Ed Morton 15, Matt Parrott 15, Jason Burke 14+3, Niall Morton 14+3, Simon Gamble 12+3, Luke Morton 7+1, Daniel Rushton 2

Sheffield hung to an early lead to win narrowly, the Vikings unable to pull back after going behind to a 7-3 in heat 1 as Dean Douglas fell and was excluded when trying to chase down top Rocket Joe Twigg. Matthew Newman made a steady debut, but as one rider begins we may have seen the last of Liam Robinson, as after struggling to master the sport so far, the local lad ended up being involved in a three man crash that did little to improve his looks, a nasty facial injury the result.

The Rockets probably won due to some solid work in the engine room of the team being provided by Niamh Morton and Sophie Middleton, they involved in several of the best races of the meeting as they battled the home top men.

NORTHUMBRIA 73
Dean Douglas 14+2, Shane Gray 13, Dan Thompson 12+2, Dan Redshaw 11, Matthew Newman 8+1, Paul Thompson 7+1, Liam Robinson 6+1, Lee Redshaw 2

SHEFFIELD 75
Sophie Middleton 15, Niamh Morton 14+3, Joe Twigg 13, Ed Morton 11, Jack Brownell 7+1, Daniel Rushton 6+1, Kielan Burton 5, Niall Morton 4

The biggest turn out of Div 3 riders yet seen at the Cramlington track, helped Northumbria to a win over the Rockets, they tracking nine riders to Sheffield’s eight. Lee Redshaw was superb in riding to an unbeaten 20 points, he the only man to beat Jack Brownell. There was some great racing from the youngsters throughout, they providing a fitting end to the day and indeed the season.

NORTHUMBRIA 122
Lee Redshaw 20, Connow Heaton 16, Travis Falcon 15, Josh Davies 14, Lewis Petre 13, Sam Stansfield 12, Bradley Bowman 7, Bradley Falcon 10, Declan Falcon 10

SHEFFIELD 65
Jack Brownell 19, Kielan Burton 18, Joe Brownell 16, KD Gittins 12