MATCH REPORT: Stockport home in on retaining title

Stockport took another giant stride to defending the Northern League One title with a convincing 103-73 victory over the visiting Sheffield/CRA Rockets. Michael Preston got the better of Richard Hudson in heat 1, the 6-4 gave Stockport the perfect start. Vicky Brown was quickly out of the gate in heat 2, only to be passed by both Jack Lush and Ben Higham, for Stockport’s first maximum.

Heat 3 was tied, Niall Morton doing a sterling job in keeping Terry Norman in last place. Jake Read then got a tapes exclusion, Sheffield profiting with a 7-2 from Hudson and Joe Twigg. Another Stockport tapes exclusion in heat 5 (this time Preston) gave the Rockets a chance to take the lead. Brian Eaton had other ideas as he managed to keep both Jason Burke and Ed Morton at bay, the 4-5 heat result levelling the scores at 24 each.

Heat 6 and Brown was again first away from the tapes, this time Norman and Radcliffe chasing and making the passes for a Stockport 7-3. Read got his second exclusion in heat 7, as he chopped across Niall Morton. Preston though rode a superb race to keep both Sheffield riders behind and restrict the damage to a 4-5. Heat 8 was tied, with Burke blocking all of Higham’s passing attempts to keep the home rider in last place. The experienced duo of Norman/Eaton got a 7-3 just before the interval as they out muscled Twigg on the first bend.

Half time came with Stockport just seven points up by 47-40. Sheffield’s Brown again showed her quick starting in heat 10, but was no match for Eaton when they rubbed shoulders on the first bend. The resulting 7-3 now beginning to put some daylight between the teams.

Lush/Higham made it three successive maximums in heat 11, and the writing was on the wall for the Rockets. Brown and Twigg shot from the tapes to lead Read in heat 12, the home rider storming past on lap two. The Sheffield duo though held out to draw the heat. Burke led heat 13 until the end of lap three, when he was passed by Norman after a gap was created by Radcliffe (who lost several spokes from his front wheel).

Niall Morton then held out Higham to win heat 14, but it was a 5-4 to Stockport following Ed Morton’s tapes exclusion. Twigg was having an outstanding match for Sheffield and briefly led heat 15 before being passed by Lush. With Matt Parrott in third the heat was tied 5-5. That was as good as it got for Sheffield as the final three races all ended in 7-3 maximum’s to Stockport. Ensuring their home Northern league unbeaten record stayed intact. The last team to win at Webb Lane in the Northern League One was A&T back in October 2009.

STOCKPORT 103
Jack Lush 20(5), Dylan Radcliffe 16+2(5), Terry Norman 16+1(5), Ben Higham 12+4(5), Jake Read 12(5), Brian Eaton 11+1(3), Michael Preston 10+1(5), Devon Campbell 6(3).

SHEFFIELD 73
Joe Twigg 14(5), Jason Burke 12+2(5), Niall Morton 12+1(5), Vicky Brown 8+1(5), Richard Hudson 8+1(4), Matt Parrott 8+2(4), Ed Morton 7(4), Luke Morton 4(4).

Stockport gave away 57 penalty points in the Northern league two match, with Sheffield taking home the points with a 108-97 victory. Stockport won 11 of the 15 races with a 7-3 maximum.

STOCKPORT 97
Louis Wright 19(5), Jack Lush 18+2(5), Michael Preston 18+2(5), Ben Higham 15+5(5), Jake Read 14+2(5), Devon Campbell 13+1(5)

SHEFFIELD 108
Ed Morton 12(4), Joe Twigg 8(4), Rob Mawhood 7(5), Sophie Middleton 7(5),Niamh Morton 7(5), Kielan Burton 5(3), Jack Brownell 3(3), Luke Morton 2(1).

Stockport’s duo of Louis Wright and Devon Campbell were too strong for Sheffield’s three amigo’s of Jack Brownell, Joe Brownell and Kielan Burton in the under 13’s fixture. Stockport winning by 28-22.

STOCKPORT 28
Louis Wright 16, Devon Campbell  12

SHEFFIELD 22
Jack Brownell 8, Kielan Burton 8, Joe Brownell 6.