MATCH REPORT: Stars outshone by Comets

Having lost at Hull in midweek, it was imperative that the Sheffield Stars won this North and Scotland League One clash with Bury Comets if they were to be involved in the end of season play-offs. It was not to be, as a close and enthralling match ended with the visitors plundering the league points with a 90-89 victory.

Adam Turnbull was excluded in heat three and Sheffield took full advantage with a 7-2 result from Luke Morton/Ed Morton to lead by 16-13. The Comets then forged into a 38-31 lead on the back of 7-3 race wins for Kris Ramsden/Asim Hussain and Danny Taylor/Kaysor Mohammedi. Adam Watson and Ed Morton raced to the first of three 7-3 results in heat 9, as the teams went into the half time interval with Bury edging the lead by 46-43.

Sheffield brought the deficit down to one point when Adam Watson/Ed Morton relegated Kris Ramsden to third place in heat 11, this being Kris’s only dropped points.

Both teams continued to attack, only five drawn heats proving that a cagey match had not taken place, with a Kris Ramsden/Kaysor Mohammedi 7-3 immediately followed with a Niall Morton/Ed Morton 7-3. Neil Howarth won heat 16 to give Bury the lead by 82-77 with just two races remaining.

Heat 17 fluctuated just as the match had done. Asim Hussein came down while challenging Laura Watson on lap two. Then Niall Morton came to grief as he tried to pass Kris Ramsden on turn one of the final lap. The resultant drawn heat meant Bury would be winners barring any exclusion or bike malfunction. Adams Turnbull and Taylor were happy to let Adam Watson/Ed Morton race to a 7-3 in the final heat in the knowledge that the visitors had been triumphant by one point.

Niall Morton, Ed Morton and Adam Watson again scored the bulk of the Sheffield points, with Sam Haines deserving more than the seven points he accrued.

The Comets were solid from 1-7, Kaysor Mohammedi won both the races he was selected for and only Adam Turnbull was left without a race win.

SHEFFIELD 89
Niall Morton 19+2, Laura Watson 7+1, Adam Watson 19+3, Niamh Morton 3, Luke Morton 14, Sam Haines 7, Ed Morton 20+1, Sammi Marsh DNR, Kielan Burton DNR

BURY 90
Danny Taylor 18+1, Neil Howarth 13+1, Kris Ramsden 20+2, Asim Hussain 9, Adam Turnbull 11, Adam Taylor 11+1, Louis Turner DNR, Kaysor Mohammedi 8.

Ref – DAVE SHOAT

Ed Morton then defended the Northern League match race title against challenger Kris Ramsden. Ed held the lead from grid 2 and was always in control despite the effort put in by Kris.

The League Two match saw the second place Stars lose at home for the first time in 2017, as the Bury Comets cemented top spot with an 83-67 victory. The result saw Sheffield slip back down to third following A&T’s win over Stockport.

All started well for Sheffield with Niamh Morton/Sam Haines opening the match with a 7-3 race win, Adam Taylor falling while challenging in third place (his only blip as he would go on to win his next four races).

Sheffield’s next race win came from Luke Morton in heat 7, by which time the Stars were down by 34-36. The strength of Bury’s heat leaders told in the next eight races as Sheffield managed only one more race winner, a fine ride in heat 13 by Logan Perkins. Kaysor Mohammedi and Adam Turnbull both finished unbeaten for the Comets, their superior gating making the difference on a track getting dustier after each race.

SHEFFIELD 67
Sam Haines 10+1, Niamh Morton 11, Luke Morton 10+2, Sammi Marsh 8, Kielan Burton 11, Laura Watson 11+4, Logan Perkins 6.

BURY 83
Adam Taylor 17, Alan Plimley 4, Louis Turner 9+2, Asim Hussain 11, Adam Turnbull 18+2, Steve Mann 3, Kaysor Mohammedi 18+2, Josh Neath 3. ​

REF – NIALL MORTON

Sheffield won the League Three match (for U13s) by 27-13. Kielan Burton extended his winning streak to 37 races as he completed his tenth maximum score. Logan Perkins led Kielan briefly in two races, but his lack of fitness following four weeks off racing showed up only too well. Josh Neath of Bury looks an exciting prospect, getting the better of Logan in heat 2.

SHEFFIELD 27
Kielan Burton 16, Logan Perkins 11.

BURY 13
Josh Neath 9, Rowan Neath 4.

REF – ED MORTON