MATCH REPORT: A&T race to 3 big wins over Bury
Photos taken by Len Priestley
Astley & Tyldesley raced to three big wins over local rivals Bury Comets, in this afternoon’s North & Scotland League fixture at Gin Pit. On a cold, breezy afternoon, the track was in perfect condition, resulting in some very fast times being recorded.
In the Division 1 match, League champions A&T won the first five heats to open up a 34-16 lead, before the points were shared in heat 6. The match continued in a similar vein, as A&T won thirteen heats, with the other five drawn, to run out 113-66 winners. A&T’s top trio of Steve Harris, Reece Pollitt and Pawel Idziorek all raced unbeaten by an opponent, along with Matt Snell, with solid support from the rest of the team. Pollitt recorded the fastest time so far this season, 40.40 seconds, when winning heat 15. Veteran Neil Howarth top scored for Bury, with his best support coming from Kris Ramsden.
North & Scotland League Division 1 match result
Astley & Tyldesley 113 Bury 66
A&T: Reece Pollitt 23 (1), Pawel Idziorek 23 (1), Steve Harris 19 (5), Max Evans 16 (1), Adam Phillips 8 (2), Matt Snell 8, Paul Graham 8, Mark Grantham 3, Mick Knowles 3, Emily Burgess 2 (1).
Bury: Neil Howarth 15, Kris Ramsden 14, Kaysar Mohammadi 9 (1), Adam Turnbull 9 (1), Harry Radford 9, Danny Taylor 8 (2), Dawar Mohammadi 2, Steve Mann dnr.
Referee – Mike Hack.
A&T took 7-3 heat wins in each of the first nine races in the Division 2 match, before Bury’s Harry Radford took points off A&T’s nine and ten riders in two of the last three heats. Once again, A&T used their full squad of riders, on their way to a 81-39 victory. Six of A&T’s riders raced unbeaten by an opponent, with the two u-13 riders losing to Radford.
North & Scotland League Division 2 match result
Astley & Tyldesley 81 Bury 39
A&T: Emily Burgess 18 (2), Mark Grantham 13 (3), John White 11 (1), Mick Knowles 10 (2), Tom Morrissey 9, Matt Snell 8, Lee Phillips 6 (2), Charlie Burgess 6 (1).
Bury: Harry Radford 14, Dawar Mohammadi 10, Steve Mann 8, Tom Dunphy 7, Sam Dunphy dnr, Bobby Dunphy dnr.
Referee – Chaz Whalley.
There was another big turnout for the Division 3 match, with A&T fielding 19 riders, against the three Dunphy brothers from Bury. It was the two White brothers from A&T, who both raced unbeaten – Frank in the u-10s match and John in the u-13s match. A&T took their second big win of the season, 206-24.
North & Scotland League Division 3 match result
Astley & Tyldesley 206 Bury 24
A&T: Frank White 16, John White 16, Aiden Green 15, Freddie Cox 14, Oscar Belt 14, Charlie Burgess 14, Duncan Whalley 12, Chloe Warn 12, Harriet Belt 11, Levi Edwards 11, Stepehn Warn 11, Myles Grantham 10, Lewis Skitterall 10, Ada Cox 9, Sabrina Evans 8, Mason Ankrett 7, Aliesha Green 7, Owen Simcock 5, Lucy Grantham 4.
Bury: Sam Dunphy 12, Tom Dunphy 7, Bobby Dunphy 5.
Referee – Catherine White.