MATCH REPORT: A&T cut the ribbon

Astley & Tyldesley hosted the Official Opening meeting of the re-built Cycle Speedway track on Wednesday evening.

Despite rain falling throughout the meeting, a good sized crowd witnessed an excellent night’s racing on the superb new Gin Pit circuit.

British Cycling’s North West Development Manager, Alex Scoular, cut the green ribbon to declare the track officially open. Also present were several official guests from British Cycling, local Tyldesley ward Councillors, City Build Manchester and Sport Leigh.

First up were the u10s and A&T’s John White raced to a 16 points maximum score, setting a new fastest 3 laps time of 34.94 seconds, when winning heat 6.

Charlie Burgess lost only to White, with back from injury, Nathan Holt, dropping points only to White and Burgess. Bury’s Louis Turner top scored in the u-13s category, losing only to A&T’s Matt Snell first time out.

With only one u-19 rider, the u-16s and u-19s races were combined, with scores   subsequently adjusted.

A&T’s Reece Pollitt won all his races on the track, setting up a 4 laps track record of 41.06 seconds, when winning heat 8. Bury duo of Adam Turnbull and James Elston were both unbeaten by u-16 riders.

In the Division 2 match score, taken from each club’s top 5 scorers from the u10, u13, u16 and u19 categories, Astley & Tyldesley and Bury tied with 74 points apiece.

Manchester League Division 2 match result (top 5 scorers count to each team’s total)
Astley & Tyldesley 74 Bury 74 Stockport 34 Sheffield 13

U10s: John White (A&T) 16, Charlie Burgess (A&T) 14, Nathan Holt (A&T) 14, Kaci Neath (Bury) 13, Jack Murray (A&T) 12, Duncan Whalley (Bury) 10, Zak Thacker (Bury) 10, Lucy Grantham (A&T) 8, Aiden Green (A&T) 7, Frank White (A&T) 7.

U13s: Louis Turner (Bury) 15, Matt Snell (A&T) 14, Josh Neath (Bury) 14, Tom Whitwam (Sheffield) 13, Harry Radford (Bury) 12, Emily Burgess (A&T) 11, Luis Roberts (Bury) 10, Holly Quinn (Bury) 8, Charlie Thacker (Bury) 7, Dawar Mohammedi (Bury) 5, Dane Brookes (Bury) 5.

U16s: Adam Turnbull (Bury) 16, James Elston (Bury) 16, Ciaran Collins (A&T) 12, Devon Campbell (Stockport) 12, Michael Preston (Stockport) 11, Max Evans (A&T) 11, Kaysar Mohammedi (Bury) 9, Eryk Motala (Bury) 9, Louis Wright (Stockport) 7, Asim Hussain (Bury) 5, Lance McCabe (Stockport) 4.

U19s: Reece Pollitt (A&T) 16.

Referees – Ben Higham & Graham Lush.

Stockport’s Ben Higham top scored in the Senior (Division 1) match, dropping his only point to A&T’s Reece Pollitt in heat 9. Bury took the team win in the Division 1 match.

Manchester League Division 1 match result (top 5 scorers count to each team’s total)
Bury 51 Stockport 26 Astley & Tyldesley 25

Seniors: Ben Higham (Stockport) 15, Reece Pollitt (A&T) 14, James Elston (Bury) 13, Ciaran Collins (A&T) 11, Terry Norman (Stockport) 11, Adam Turnbull (Bury) 10, Kristian Ramsden (Bury) 10, Neil Howarth (Bury) 9, Kaysar Mohammedi (Bury) 9, Eryk Motala (Bury) 7, Louis Turner (Bury) 6, Alan Plimley (Bury) 4.

Referee – Graham Lush.

There was plenty of excellent fast racing, with riders bunched up closer on the banked, re-modelled track, which rides very differently to the old track. The track surface held up very well, despite being laid within the past month.

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Photos courtesy of Len Priestley.