MATCH REPORT: Wednesfield beat A&T in challenge match

Astley & Tyldesley entertained Wednesfield for a challenge match at Gin Pit, on Sunday. The home side were missing several riders, but welcomed Ipswich loanee, Pierce Bacon, for his A&T debut. GB Women team riders Lizzie Rigley and Laura Watson made a guest appearance for the home and away teams respectively.

Chris Jewkes and Tyler Bould took a 7-3 heat win over Duncan Whalley and Pierce Bacon in the first race, for a lead which Wednesfield never lost throughout the match. A&T kept in the match with a run of 5-5s, with the scores 32-37 after seven races. Wednesfield then banged in two 7-3 heat wins to take control of the match. A&T took two 7-3 heat wins of their own in the second half, with Lizzie Rigley featuring both times, to make the final score 85-94 in Wednesfield’s favour.

Jewkes rode to a maximum score for Wednesfield, including a superb outside overtake of Reece Pollitt, in heat 11. Brandon Whetton was in fine form, losing only to Pollitt in heat 15. Both sides put on a competitive and sporting encounter, enjoyed by all present.

Challenge match result


Astley & Tyldesley 85 Wednesfield 94


A&T: Reece Pollitt 21, Pierce Bacon 14 (2), Charlie Burgess 12 (1), Emily Burgess 12 (1), Lizzie Rigley 11 (1), Steve Harris 10 (3), Duncan Whalley 5.

Wednesfield: Chris Jewkes 19 (1), Brandon Whetton 19, Jordan Holcroft 16 (1), Tyler Bould 12 (2), Scott Doherty 10, Nathanial Ward 7 (1), Tom Bewick 7, Laura Watson 4.

Referee – Chaz Whalley.


Duncan Whalley was A&T’s lone representative, in the 1st Regional Round of the British Youth & Junior League series at Hull, on Saturday. Sheffield won the Little League match on 45 points from Hull (23) and Bury (16). The BYJL match was a lot closer, with Sheffield finishing just one point ahead of Hull (47-46), whilst one point was all that separated A&T (13) and Bury (12) for third and fourth place. Duncan was joint top scorer with 13 in the u-14s match, then finished 3rd in the GP Final.