MATCH REPORT: Manchester League Round 5
Stockport hosted the fifth and penultimate round of the Manchester League Grand Prix series on a warm summer evening on Wednesday 5th July.
Although numbers in the junior (Div 2) categories were slightly down, Astley & Tyldesley still provided the bulk of the competitor numbers with 14 entries, Stockport fielded 5 and Bury 3.
In the U10s, Astley’s Tom Morrissey continued were he left off last Sunday when he won the Northern League U10 title with a 20 point maximum score on the Stockport track, this time recording a four ride unbeaten 16 point score.
His Astley team mate Duncan Whalley just dropped points when he was twice beaten by Morrissey to score 14, Aiden Green and Lucy Grantham both scored 12 points for Astley with newcomers Kyra Hough and Rhys Rhinde chipping in with 8 and 5 points respectively.
Daniel Johnson scored 7 for Astley whilst Bury’s sole representative Rowen Neath scored 6.
Bury’s Kaci Neath was leading the U10 category before this round but unfortunately had to sit this round out following an accident at home and it looks as though she may miss the final round as well and that means A&T’s Duncan Whalley takes over the top spot having been just two points behind Kaci.
The U13s also saw a rider repeat their NL individual success, as A&T’s Emily Burgess won the round with a 16 point maximum to increase her lead in this category. Bury’s Harry Radford was her nearest challenger with 13 points, whilst Harry’s team mate Josh Neath scored 9. A&T’s Charlie Burgess scored 8 with Jack Murray on 4 points.
With Reece Pollitt being the only U19 entry, he rode with the U16s, which meant any U16 riders being beaten by Reece would have their scores adjusted.
Stockport’s Michael Preston moved level with his team mate Louis Wright at the top of the U16 category after recording an adjusted score of 16 points, whilst Louis himself scored 15.
Astley’s Max Evans also scored 15 dropping his only point to Preston in heat 10. Stockport’s Devon Campbell scored 13 with Bury’s Kaysar Mohammadi just one point behind on 12.
Daniel Mason and Lance McCabe scored 10 and 9 respectively for Stockport. Astley’s Matt Snell scored 9 with his team mate Ben Forshaw on 6 points. The sole U19 rider, Reece Pollitt, recorded a maximum 16 points for Astley.
With the top five scores counting towards the team total, the Division Two results were:
A&T 77 points, Stockport 63, Bury 40.
With one round remaining Astley have an unbeatable lead in the division 2 table with 15 points, Stockport are second with 8 points and Bury third on 7 points.
Seventeen riders contested the Senior (division 1) category.
Stockport’s Jake Read and Bury’s Kris Ramsden both rode unbeaten to score 16 points each from their four races. Sheffield’s Adam Watson scored 14 points, losing to Reece Pollitt and Louis Wright, with Stockport’s Ben Higham one point behind on 13, due mainly to his wheel pulling over part way through his first race whilst leading and having to scoot his bike round for two laps.
Astley’s Reece Pollitt was joint leader with Jake Read in the senior category, but a gate exclusion in his fourth ride after winning his three previous races meant he scored 12 and dropped four points behind Read in the overall standings.
A&T’s Max Evans, along with Stockport’s Michael Preston and Louis Wright also scored 12 points each, Louis maintaining his good form in the senior category to stay in the top five.
Bury’s Kaysar Mohammadi and Stockport’s Devon Campbell both scored 11 points.
Division One results:
Stockport 64, A&T 51, Bury 27, Sheffield 20.
The division 1 table sees Stockport leading with 19 points, A&T second with 15 points, Sheffield third on 8 points and Bury fourth on 5 points.
The sixth and final round takes place at Bury on Wednesday 19th July.
Report by Alan Taylor. Cover photo by Lee Paul Cullen.