MATCH REPORT: A&T’s title hopes still alive with win over champions
Second placed Astley & Tyldesley took on defending league champions Edinburgh in a North and Scotland League fixture at Gin Pit on Sunday.
Both teams were desperate for a win to keep their title hopes alive and a very hard fought Division 1 match took place, with numerous incidents. Edinburgh took an early lead when A&T riders picked up race exclusions in the first two heats.
A 7-3 heat win by the Max Evans/Reece Pollitt pairing over Lewis Foxley/Jake Slight in heat 7 put A&T in front for the first time. From then on, the home team took control and pulled away to run out 98-77 winners.
Marcin Jakubiak and Reece Pollitt led the way for the home team, losing only to Edinburgh’s best rider Mikey Hewitson.
A&T 98
Marcin Jakubiak 22 (1), Reece Pollitt 20 (3), Max Evans 18 (1), Kyle Holland 14 (2), Ciaran Collins 12 (1), Tomasz Wlodarczyk 10 (1), Mick Knowles 2.
Edinburgh 77
Mikey Hewitson 21, Craig Newsome 14 (1), Jake Slight 13 (1), Lewis Foxley 12 (1), Kamil Greszla 11 (1), Lee Lawrence 6.
Referee – Mike Hack
The Division 2 match was less eventful, as second placed A&T took an early lead and were 7 points up after four races. Edinburgh rallied and kept the scores close in the middle of the match, before A&T pulled away with four second half heat wins, to run out comfortable 81-67 winners.
Max Evans raced unbeaten for A&T, with Emily Burgess losing only to Edinburgh’s best rider, Lewis Foxley.
A&T 81
Emily Burgess 16 (3), Mick Knowles 16 (2), Max Evans 16, Matthew Snell 15, Ben Forshaw 8, Charlie Burgess 6, Tom Morrissey 3, Jack Murray 1.
Edinburgh 67
Lewis Foxley 18, Paul Kelly 14, Skye Mitchell 11 (1), Lee Lawrence 11, James Foxley 7, Ben Foxley 6.
Referee – Chas Whalley
A&T maintained their 100% record at the top of the table in Division 3, with a convincing 80-26 win. Tom Morrissey raced unbeaten in the U10 section, with Charlie Burgess and James Foxley joint top scoring in the U13 category.
A&T 80
Tom Morrissey 16, Aiden Green 15, Charlie Burgess 14, Duncan Whalley 13, Daniel Johnson 8, Jack Murray 8, Sabrina Evans 6.
Edinburgh 26
James Foxley 14, Ben Foxley 12.
Referee – Chas Whalley.