MATCH REPORT: Yorkshire League Round 2

Report by Rob Mawhood

Sheffield Stars came out on top of a closely run round two of the Yorkshire League. This was the first league racing at Heckmondwikes Firth Park track for 20 months.
Heckmondwike took an early lead with a 6-4 from Lewis Foxley and Pat Beacock in the opening heat. Hull came into contention when impressive guest rider Liz Rigley joined Jack Lister for a 7-3 win over the Sheffield pair in heat 5. The next heat saw Sheffield move into the lead with a 7-3 from Kielan Burton/Kyle Holland over Heckmondwike (the Stars pairings second maximum score).
Heat 9 saw Heckmondwike gain a 6-4 over Hull to level the team scores at 30 each. The remaining three races all ended in 5-5’s to put all three teams on 40 after 12 races. Nathan Everett-Atkinson was unbeaten for Hull, with both the Humbersiders and Heckmondwike providing five race winners each. Sheffield had just the two race wins, both by Burton, with each being a 7-3 success.
With the three teams tying, the first occasion in eight matches, it caused a problem as the match entered the individual races. This part of the match puts the leaders on grid 4’s with the lowest scorers being in grid 2.
Sheffield now came to the fore, with Laura Watson, Will Banyard and Holland all winning from grid 4’s. This gave the Stars the three league points. Everett-Atkinson completed his unbeaten score by winning the final race, but Jack Listers exclusion in heat 15 (for bringing down Darren Kent) meant Hull finished third.

Scorers

Heckmondwike Saints (51)
Lewis Foxley 17+1, Pat Beacock 4, Darren Kent 16, Justin Naylor 7+1, Daniel Green 7.
Sheffield Stars (54)
Will Banyard 15, Laura Watson 8+1, Kyle Holland 14+4, Kielan Burton 16, Sam Stansfield 1.
Hull (49)
Nathan Everett-Atkinson 20, Andy Knowles 6, Jack Lister 11, Liz Rigley 11+2, Barry Ashton 1.

Referee – Andy Schofield

The junior GP (for under 13’s) saw 18 riders line up, including six for hosts Heckmondwike (which bodes well for the Saints future). Fifteen riders won at least one race, five riders managing double success including the very impressive debuts of the Le Brasse boys Jack and George for Heckmondwike. Jack, who has a BMX background, started in tier three and soon moved up the ladder rungs to tier one where he led Sheffield starlets Oliver Banyard and Lacey Ackroyd.
The GP finals where a clean sweep for Sheffield. Oliver Banyard (Under 10’s), Lacey Ackroyd (Under 13 Girls) and Laythan Sharp (Under 13 Boys) all winning as they did at Hull. The clean sweep made by Eddie Owolabi-Oshea winning the under 8’s on his debut in competitive racing.

GP points

Under 13 Boys

Laythan Sharp (Sheffield) 25, Jack Le Brasse (Heckmondwike) 20, George Le Brasse (Heckmondwike) 18, Elliott Long (Heckmondwike) 16.

Under 13 Girls

Lacey Ackroyd (Sheffield) 25, Kacey Bennett (Hull) 20.

Under 10’s

Oliver Banyard (Sheffield) 25, Seraphina Green (Sheffield) 20, Harry Gibson (Hull) 18, Raylan Daykin (Hull) 16, Will Hollich (Hull) 14, Charlie Taylor (Sheffield) 13.

Under 8’s

Eddie Owolabi-Oshea (Sheffield) 25, Joseph Green (Heckmondwike) 20
Jayden Bennett (Hull) 18, Charlie Le Brasse (Heckmondwike) 16, Lincoln Ackroyd (Sheffield) 14, Zephyr Chaudry (Heckmondwike) 13.

Referee – Kyle Holland

Another impressive turn out for the senior GP as 21 riders lined up. Sixteen different riders won a race, with close racing in all tiers of the ladder. A blanket could have covered all four riders as they crossed the finish line in heat one. Eight riders managed two race wins, from former World number 2 Chris Timms (Birmingham) to debutante Tony Le Brasse (Heckmondwike) with also Pat Beacock (Heckmondwike) and Hull youngster Liam Bennett.
The GP finals saw two riders complete the double, having also won at Hull, Kielan Burton (under 18’s) and Darren Kent (Super Vets, 55+). The Open final had a Midlands top two, Chris Timms in first place (and going to top of the leader board) with Tom Bewick runner up. Sheffield’s Kyle Holland made his second A Final, confirming his early season good form. Will Banyard (Sheffield) won the Vets 40-54 while Liz Rigley (Leicester) completed her excellent day by defeating her GB captain Laura Watson in the Women’s Final.

GP points

Open

Chris Timms (Birmingham) 25, Tom Bewick (Wednesfield) 20, Kyle Holland (Sheffield) 18, Nathan Everett-Atkinson (Hull) 16, Lewis Foxley (Edinburgh/Heckmondwike) 14, Jack Lister (Hull) 13, Patrick Oshea (Sheffield) 12.

Women’s

Liz Rigley (Leicester) 25, Laura Watson (Sheffield) 20.

Under 18’s

Kielan Burton (Sheffield) 25, Daniel Green (Heckmondwike) 20, Sam Stansfield (Sheffield) 18, Liam Bennett (Hull) 16.

Vets 40 – 54

Will Banyard (Sheffield) 25, Justin Naylor (Heckmondwike) 20, Tony Le Brasse (Heckmondwike) 18, Naeem Chaudry (Heckmondwike) 16.

Super Vets (55+)

Darren Kent (Heckmondwike) 25, Pat Beacock (Heckmondwike) 20, Paul Timms (Birmingham) 18, Barry Ashton (Hull) 16.

Current Table:

  Match pts.  Race pts
1. Sheffield                  5               109

2. Hull                           4               106

3. Heckmondwike      3                 95

Round Three is at Sheffield on June 13th.