MATCH REPORT: A&T are kings in the north

September 11, 2017 editor

Astley & Tyldesley capped a great week of results by winning the North and Scotland Regional Final at Gin Pit on Sunday.

A&T lined up without captain Paul Graham, due to a foot injury sustained in Wednesday’s Play Off, so Kyle Holland moved up into the A group and Lee Phillips stepped into the B group.

Bury and Stockport were also missing Neil Howarth and Michael Preston, but crucially didn’t have replacements, so with only three teams competing, at least 8 points each were forfeited by those teams.

At the end of the first round of 8 races, the scores were: A&T 25, Bury 22, Stockport 21. Bury fell behind in the next round of races as A&T stretched their lead to go into the interval 6 points ahead of Stockport. Half time scores were: A&T 50 Stockport 44 Bury 40.

The margin was still the same after the third round of races, with the scores: A&T 73 Stockport 67 Bury 62. A&T’s comfortable lead was jolted when Ciaran Collins moved at the gate in heat 29, and a Louis Wright win for Stockport reduced the gap to three points with three races remaining.

Kyle Holland and Reece Pollitt won the next two races for A&T to seal victory with one race remaining. Max Evans was content to ride home in third place in the last heat, as A&T beat Stockport by three points, with Bury a further 14 points adrift.

In a match affected by heavy rain showers, Reece Pollitt raced to a superb 16 points maximum for A&T, with solid support from the rest and the inclusion of an eighth rider proving to be decisive.

Jack Lush raced unbeaten for Stockport, as a B group rider, with Ben Higham and Jake Read, on his 21st birthday, losing only to Pollitt. B group rider Adam Taylor topped the scores for Bury.

Astley & Tyldesley qualify as Northern winners for the Cycle Speedway Knock-out Cup Grand Final at Coventry next Sunday.