MATCH REPORT: A&T comfortable at home

Astley & Tyldesley welcomed Sheffield for a Northern League encounter at a hot and sunny Gin Pit on Sunday.

In the Division 1 match, A&T took the lead with a well worked 7-3 to the Mark Grantham/Damian Zareba pairing in heat 2. The next race saw first Paul Graham, then Kyle Holland receive gate exclusions, to gift Sheffield a 7-0.

However, the same pairing made amends with a 7-3 in heat 5, to put the home side back in front, 25-22, for a lead they never lost. Sheffield belatedly claimed inside grids in heat 15, as the home side marched on to clinch a comfortable 95-78 win, despite suffering two more gate exclusions.

Reece Pollitt raced unbeaten for A&T, with Zareba losing only to Adam Watson in the last race. Watson and the Morton brothers were always in the thick of the action for the visitors.

Astley & Tyldesley 95 
Reece Pollitt 23 (1), Damian Zareba 20 (3), Kyle Holland 14, Paul Graham 9 (3), Max Evans 9, Mark Grantham 9, Luke Jamson 6, Mick Knowles 4, Emily Burgess 1.

Sheffield 78
Adam Watson 16 (2), Ed Morton 16 (1), Niall Morton 15 (1), Luke Morton 10 (1), Laura Watson 9, Niamh Morton 8, Keilan Burton 3 (1), Jack Brownell 1.

Referee – Mike Hack.

A&T had five absentees from last week’s home defeat returning to the side for the Division 2 match. The more familiar line-up raced to a convincing 86-64 win, despite four of the opening five races being shared.

Two 7-3 heat wins put the home side 41-29 up and firmly in control. Max Evans and Mark Grantham, on his birthday, both raced unbeaten, with good support throughout. Luke Morton did a sterling job for the visitors, regularly shepherding his partners to share the points.

Astley & Tyldesley 86
Max Evans 17 (3), Emily Burgess 15 (1), Mark Grantham 15 (1), Mick Knowles 13 (1), Danny Pickup 10 (2), Gareth Paine 7, John White 6 (1), Charlie Burgess 3.

Sheffield 64
Luke Morton 12 (4), Jack Brownell 11, Keilan Burton 11, Niamh Morton 10, Logan Perkins 9, Laura Watson 7 (1), Sammi Marsh 4.

Referee – Kyle Holland.

A&T raced to their fourth successive win in the Division 3 match, by 124-36. A&T’s Duncan Whalley raced unbeaten in the U10s category, as did Sheffield’s Keilan Burton in the U13s event.

Astley & Tyldesley 124
Duncan Whalley 16, John White 13, Emily Burgess 13, Frank White 12, Lucy Grantham 12, Tom Beeley 12, Josh Parkinson 9, Aiden Green 9, Charlie Burgess 8, Oscar Belt 6, Jack Murray 6, Sabrina Evans 4, Deon Dickinson 4.

Sheffield 36
Keilan Burton 16, Jack Brownell 10, Logan Perkins 10.

Referee – Catherine White.