MATCH REPORT: Honours even at Heckmondwike

Heckmondwike and Astley & Tyldesley served up an entertaining day of North & Scotland League racing, at a sunny Firth Park on Sunday. The West Yorkshire side made their return to league racing, after a five seasons’ absence, and celebrated the occasion by winning the Division 2 match.

Two inexperienced teams lined up for the Division 2 match, with A&T fielding an entire team of u-16s and younger, against a much older Heckmondwike team. Chris and Dan Green teamed up for a Heckmondwike 7-3 over Oscar Belt and Josh Pilkington to take a 6 points lead after heat 4. A&T immediately hit back with John and Frank White taking a 7-3 over Darren Kent and Tony Lebrasse. Another 7-3 to David Hamilton and Duncan Whalley over Stuart Hardaker and C. Green in the next race put the visitors 2 points ahead. A win by Kent over F. White in heat 7 saw Heckmondwike draw level and that remained the position at the interval. Another 6-4 saw Heckmondwike move ahead in heat 9, but A&T re-took the lead with a 7-3 by F. White and Whalley over Hardaker and T. Lebrasse. Two shared heats followed, before the home team scored two dramatic 7-3 heat wins to seal the match in heat 14. Firstly by the Hardaker/ C. Green pairing over F. White/ Owen Simcock, then by Jack Lebrasse/ D. Green over O. Belt/ Hamilton. Kent wrapped up the match by inflicting the only defeat of the afternoon on J. White, with Whalley third, for a more solid scoring Heckmondwike team to win a most entertaining match, by 78-72.

North & Scotland League Division 2 match result


Heckmondwike 78 Astley & Tyldesley 72


Heckmondwike: Darren Kent 17, Dan Green 15 (2), Jack Lebrasse 14 (1), Chris Green 12 (2), Stuart Hardaker 11 (1), Tony Lebrasse 9 (2), Elliot Long dnr, George Lebrasse dnr.

A&T: John White 18 (1), Frank White 17, Duncan Whalley 15 (3), David Hamilton 10, Oscar Belt 6, Owen Simcock 4, Harriet Belt 1, Josh Pilkington 1.

Referee – Chaz Whalley.

A&T ran out convincing 98-48 winners in the Division 3 match. Josh Pilkington raced unbeaten in the u-10s category, with Levi Edwards losing twice only to Josh. In the u-13s section, Frank White raced unbeaten, with Oscar Belt losing only to Elliot Long in heat 5. All four Heckmondwike riders scored double figures.

North & Scotland League Division 3 match result

Heckmondwike 48 Astley & Tyldesley 98

Heckmondwike: Elliot Long 13, Joseph Green 12, Charlie Lebrasse 12, George Lebrasse 11.

A&T: Josh Pilkington 16, Frank White 16, Oscar Belt 15, Levi Edwards 14, Thomas Smith 8, Jake Mulholland 8, Harriet Belt 8, Chloe Bassett 7, Lincoln Davies 6.

Referee – Catherine White.