MATCH REPORT: 2 convincing wins for A&T in Scotland

Astley & Tyldesley raced to two convincing wins in North & Scotland League Division 1 matches in Scotland on Sunday.

A&T lined up at Edinburgh for a 12 noon start. A first heat 6-4 win for A&T was followed by six successive 7-3 heat wins, before a shared heat made the interval score 27-53. A&T continued their relentless pace with seven 7-3 heat wins in the second half, to run out 114-64 winners. A&T had five riders who raced unbeaten, with Pierce Bacon losing only to Neil McPherson in heat 1. Edinburgh’s only heat win came when Ian Muidy and Terry Kirkup took a 7-2 over Owen Simcock in heat 12, after Reece Pollitt was excluded.

North & Scotland League Division 1 match result

Edinburgh 64 Astley & Tyldesley 114

Edinburgh: Shane Gray 11, Neil McPherson 10, Terry Kirkup 8 (2), Alex Matthews 8, Jake Slight 7, Ian Muidy 6, Iain MacDonald 5, Nathan Slight 5, Amy MacDonald 4 (1).

A&T: Pawel Idziorek 17 (3), Pierce Bacon 16 (2), Paul Graham 16, Joel Partington 16, Steve Harris 14 (2), Tom Morrissey 13 (3), Reece Pollitt 13 (3), Owen Simcock 9.

Referee – Ewan Tulloch.

A&T travelled to Dunfermline for the second match of the day, to race against Fife Revolutions for the first time in a Division 1 match. A&T opened up with five successive 7-3 heat wins, before captain Reece Pollitt picked up a gate exclusion in heat 6. The teams went into the interval with A&T ahead, 51-28. Harry Langdale was Fife’s first race winner in heat 9, for Tom Morrissey’s only defeat, in a shared heat. John Hutton inflicted the only defeat of the match for Pierce Bacon, when winning heat 14, as he and Gavin Kennedy took a 6-4 heat win. Steve Harris, Pawel Idziorek and Paul Graham all raced unbeaten for A&T.

North & Scotland League Division 1 match result

Fife 67 Astley & Tyldesley 112

Fife: Harris Alsop 13, Lewis Alsop 12 (1), Harry Langdale 12 (1), Jake Ferguson 10 (1), John Hutton 8, Gavin Kennedy 6 (1), Calan Cuthbert 3, Dougie Morgan 2, Danny Peoples 1.

A&T: Pawel Idziorek 18 (2), Reece Pollitt 17 (3), Steve Harris 16 (4), Tom Morrissey 16 (3), Joel Partington 15 (1), Pierce Bacon 15, Paul Graham 12, Owen Simcock 3.

Referee – Ewan Tulloch.