MATCH REPORT: Anglo-Welsh success for Birmingham

Birmingham Monarchs took victory in Poole on Sunday in the opening meeting of the new Anglo-Welsh league, with a strong team showing, leading from the off.

The Anglo-Welsh league is a cross over league between the Midlands and South West and Wales, which gives teams some extra fixtures to fill up their calendar.

The Monarchs started with a 6-4, Ewan Hancox taking victory for the West Midlands side.  Heats 3 and 7 were maximum advantages from the Johnson/Millward pairing, those heats in between shared to give the visitors a 10 point lead, at the interval that lead was stretched to 12.

It was the home side who made the brighter start, with maximums in heats 10 and 12 to move to within 3 points of the Birmingham men. However, the Birmingham reply was swift and brutal, as the Monarchs took successive maximums in the next two races, with both reserves playing key roles in both heats, Paul Timms and Hancox winning each race.

Poole weren’t to take another advantage until the final heat, when the result was already known. The home side had the rider of the day in Polish star Mateij Ganczarek, who dropped only a single point to Johnson, however the Monarchs all round strength won through on the day.

Photos by Graham Robins

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POOLE 85
Dean Hook 13+2, Fraser Garnet 14, Maciej Ganczarek 19, Pete Chant 6, Wil Bristowe 11+2, Callum Smith 10+1, Colin Rowles 5, Rob Haywood 7+1.

BIRMINGHAM 91 Nathan Groves 17+1 (5), Ricki Johnson 17+1 (5), Scott Millward 14+4 (5), Ewan Hancox 13+1 (5), Mark Winwood 11 (5), Paul Timms 11 (4), Chris Timms 10+1 (5), Phil Widdas 3+1 (2).

Referee – Graham Sutton

The mini Monarchs were in action in Coventry on Saturday in round 3 of the BJYL. Fast improving Charlie Buet Gannon made the A final of the U10s and finished 4th. He lies 4th in the standings.

Connor Steel had to settle for runner up spot in the U12s but was involved in some superb racing and excellent finishing, he leads the group by 6 points. Rebekah Humphries was in the thick of the action all day and just missed out on the A final, racing to second spot in the B final.

Dylan Hawtin missed a golden opportunity to make the A final but slipped from 1st to 4th in his final race – he won the C final. Jake Steel won the C final in the U18s, but was very much on the pace throughout, whilst Marc Phipps won the D final.

The next home fixture will be Saturday 3rd June, as Birmingham host the 4th round of the BYJL, where trophies will be presented to the winners.

Training continues at the track every Tuesday and Thursday. Under 16s at 6pm and Seniors 7pm.