MATCH REPORT: Bury v Stockport(Challenge match)

With the start of the 2019 season just two weeks away the two local clubs of Bury and Stockport agreed that for the mutual benefit of the riders, it would make good sense to hold a challenge match to give them all a chance to stretch their legs prior to the events starting in earnest. Some grave doubt was cast on the proposed date being fulfilled, as for the preceding week it rained incessantly, and the day before the match the river overflowed the banks and flooded the football pitches surrounding the track. However the track was rideable, and the match went ahead.
Harry Radford, captain for Bury for the match, won the toss and took outside starts in heat one, which proved bad for the home team as Stockport took a maximum 7-3 score to take the lead. Three drawn heats followed before Danny Taylor won heat 5 for Bury, but with his partner last it was another drawn heat and still Stockport lead by four points. It was two more drawn heats including a win for Kris Ramsden before Bury hit back with a first and second for The two Mohammadi brothers Kaysar and Dawar in heat six to level the scores 30-30. Two more drawn heats kept the scores level before Neil Howarth and Steve Mann took another first and second to move 4 points clear.
Stockport hit back to within 2 points in heat 10, with a win by Jake Read, then a run of five drawn heats kept the score at that level going int thee last three heats. Neil Howarth and Eryk Motala took maximum points at a crucial stage to put Bury six points clear. However Stockport strongest two riders were out in the penultimate heat 17 ,and took a maximum heat win bringing the score back to just two points. Bury had the inside gates in the last heat and with the home team fielding their two better gaters Bury took the lead in the first bend and held the lead to the flag for a maximum score heat win and the match 93 to 87.
The balance of riders across both teams was quite level, with 12 of the 18 heats drawn.
For Bury Kris Ramsden Neil Howarth ,Kaysar Mohammadi and Eryk Motala all scored well, and for Stockport Ben Higham, Jake Read and Micheal Preston were the main solid scorers in a very close interesting and sporting match in which the main winners were the sport of Cycle Speedway.

Bury 93

Kris Ramsden 16,Neil Howarth 16, Kaysar Mohammadi 15, Eryk Motala 13, Danny Taylor 10, Steve Mann 8, Dawar Mohammadi 8, Harry Radford 7.

Stockport 87

Ben Higham 20, Jake Read 20, Micheal Preston 16, Louis Wright 12, Ewan Ferrari 9, Harry Hulme dnr

A junior match was also held with a heat for the juniors after every three heats of the senior match scores were Harry Hulme (Stockport) 20,Tom Dunphy (Bury) 15, Sam Dunphy (Bury)10, Bobby Dunphy (Bury) 5.