MATCH REPORT: Manchester Senior Individual

Report and Photo by Mike Hack

The 2022 Manchester League programme concluded with the Senior Individual Final, at Stockport, on Wednesday 24th August. On a warm, cloudy evening, 12 riders contested the match, on a damp, grippy track.

Reece Pollitt raced away to win heat 2, with defending champion Steve Harris passing Kaysar Mohammadi to take second place. Heat 4 brought the winners of the three opening races together, and Pollitt gated across both Joel Partington and Mike Baldock to take an important race win. After a last place in heat 2, Terry Norman reeled off three wins to put himself in contention for a place. Harris, Baldock, Partington and Adam Watson all kept piling up the points, as Pollitt won his third and fourth races as well. Baldock’s win over Mohammadi in heat 16 saw him finish on 17 points. Partington won heat 17, with Laura Watson keeping out Norman for second place. Harris headed home Emily Burgess and Duncan Whalley, to finish on 18 points and secure a top three placing. Pollitt only needed a second place in heat 20 to secure the title, and this was guaranteed when Mark Radford collected a gate exclusion. In the re-run, Adam Watson, off grid 1 held Pollitt, off grid 4, before Reece pulled off a smart inside pass on the second lap to race away and complete a 20 points maximum score. This meant that Adam finished on 17 points, so a run-off with Mike Baldock for third place was required. Watson won the toss and started off grid 2. He led until the third lap, when Baldock pulled off a clever inside pass to come through and take third place on the night.

Well done to the 12 riders on providing a good evening’s racing, ridden in a good spirit throughout. Reece Pollitt scored a most impressive 20 points maximum, with a combination of fast gating and smooth passing, to regain the title he previously won in 2018.

The top 3 in the 2022 Manchester Senior Individual

Manchester League Senior Individual Final result

Reece Pollitt (A&T) 20, Steve Harris (A&T) 18, Mike Baldock (Bury) 17, Adam Watson (Independent) 17, Joel Partington (A&T) 16, Terry Norman (Stockport) 15, Kaysar Mohammadi (Bury) 15, Laura Watson (Independent) 13, Emily Burgess (A&T) 13, Duncan Whalley (A&T) 11, Caspar Ellis (A&T) 10, Mark Radford (Bury) 7.

Referee – Graham Lush.