MATCH REPORT: Team Green win North & Scotland League Division 1

Astley & Tyldesley are the 2018 North & Scotland League Division 1 champions!

A&T raced at Sheffield this afternoon, with half of the regular riders missing from each of the three teams, due mainly to holidays. Despite this, A&T’s squad strength in depth saw wins in both the Division 1 and 3 matches, and the Division 2 match fulfilled without conceding penalty points.

On a very dry, dusty Cookson Park track, passing was at a premium, and A&T had to dig deep against a full strength Sheffield team, by turning in a professional and disciplined performance to win the Division 1 match. It was first blood to A&T with an Idziorek/ Phillips 6-4 over A. Watson/ Turner in heat 3.

The Morton brothers hit back with a 7-3 over the Graham/ Knowles pairing in the next race, but A&T levelled the scores with a Harris/ Collins 6-4 over the Watsons in heat 5. The Idziorek/ Phillips pair banged in a 7-3 over Ed and Luke Morton in heat 6, to put A&T in front, for a lead they never subsequently surrendered. Eight of the next nine heats were shared, with Idziorek/ Collins taking a 7-3 win in heat 10 over Luke Morton and Laura Watson.

The match was rounded off with a 7-3 to each side, after some imbalanced races in the three nominated heats, leaving A&T to run out 93-87 winners. With Stockport losing at Hull, this meant that A&T are the North & Scotland League Division 1 champions for the second successive season. Pawel Idziorek rode to a superb 24 points maximum score for the visitors.

North & Scotland League Division 1 match result

Sheffield 87 Astley & Tyldesley 93

Sheffield 87
Niall Morton 20 (3), Ed Morton 20, Adam Watson 18 (2), Luke Morton 11 (1), Chris Turner 10 (1), Laura Watson 7, Kielan Burton 1.

A&T 93
Pawel Idziorek 24, Steve Harris 19 (1), Adam Phillips 16 (1), Ciaran Collins 15 (2), Paul Graham 11 (2), Mick Knowles 7 (2), Emily Burgess 1.

Referee – Rob Mawhood.

Sheffield ran out easy winners in the Division 2 match, 81-68, to move level on match points with league champions and league leaders A&T. Luke Morton raced unbeaten for the Stars, with Laura Watson losing only to Mick Knowles in heat 11. Knowles lost only to Morton in heat 1.

Sheffield 81
Laura Watson 19, Kielan Burton 17, Luke Morton 16, Steven Webber 12 (2), James Morris 11 (3), Edward Balfour 3, Jeremy Knight 3.

A&T 68
Mick Knowles 18 (1), Tom Morrissey 12 (1), Emily Burgess 12, Charlie Burgess 10 (1), Duncan Whalley 8 (2), Lewis Skitterall 8 (1).

Referee – Niall Morton.

A&T maintained their 100% record in Division 3, with a convincing 82-30 win. Duncan Whalley and Aiden Green joint top scored in the u-10 match, losing once to each other. Tom Morrissey top scored in the u-13 match, losing once to James Morris.

Sheffield 30
Edward Balfour 12, James Morris 11, Erin Balfour 7.

A&T 82
Duncan Whalley 15, Aiden Green 15, Tom Morrissey 15, Lewis Skitterall 10, Freddie Cox 10, Charlie Burgess 10, Ada Cox 7.

Referee – Dave Shoat.