MATCH REPORT: Yorkshire League Round 1
Report by Rob Mawhood
Sheffield Stars and Hull battled to a draw in the first round of the Yorkshire League at Heckmondwike. The series returned to the format used during Covid, with Junior and Senior individual Grand Prix Ladder also contested within the days racing.
Hull took control of the pairs racing in mid-meeting. A Lewis Foxley/Liam Bennett 7-3 maximum win over Darren Kent/Justin Naylor in heat 7, was followed by a 6-4 from Jack Lister/Jason Keith over Pawel Idziorek and Kyle Holland in heat 8. Hull holding a 2-point lead over Sheffield, with Heckmondwike six points further back with the teams having two races each remaining. Sheffield though finished the stronger, winning both their final two heats by the maximum 7-3 heat score. Heat 11 saw Idziorek/Holland relegate Foxley to third place (his first non-race win in Northern fixtures for 18 races). This also brought justification for Sheffield using Holland as a reserve rider, utilised in all races against Hull, which brough about a 22-18 success. Sheffield then sealed a win in the pairs racing with a second successive maximum 7- point score, Kielan Burton/Sam Stansfield over Darren Kent/Justin Naylor. Sheffield it was who went into the individual races with a two point lead, but that put each of their riders on Grid 4, Hull riders were on Grid 3 as they held second place. Hull managed a trio of wins, from Bennett, Keith and Foxley to put them ahead by one point with one race remaining. With Hull now in front it meant Jack Lister would have to go from Grid 4, with Pawel Idziorek on Grid 3. This was the top scorer’s race, so Mark Rushby was off grid two for Heckmondwike. Idziorek sprinted away for victory to tie the scores, and redeem his loss to Lister in heat 8.
Pawel Idioek winning the final heat for Sheffield to secure the drawn match. Photo by Caroline Burton
Scores and Scorers
HECKMONDWIKE SAINTS (39) – Mark Rushby 10+2, Dan Green 11, Darren Kent 9, Justin Naylor 6+1, Stuart Hardacre 3.
HULL (58) – jack Lister 17+1, Jason Keith 13, Lewis Foxley 17+1, Liam Bennett 10, Ryan Tompkinson 1
SHEFFIELD STARS (58) – Oliver Barnyard 2, Pawel Idziorek 18+1, Sam Stansfield 9, Kielan Burton 17+1, Kyle Holland 12+1.
Referee – Pat Beacock (Heckmondwike)
Twelve riders lined up for the Junior GP qualifying heats. Seven got at least one race win, Bury’s Jayden Hancock the best winning three times. Jayden then won the under 13 final. Hull rider Elwood Harrison was first in the under 10’s, with hosts Joseph Vanner winning for Heckmondwike.
Results
Under 8 – 1st Joseph Vanner (Heckmonwike), 2nd Alexis Woodcock (Hull)
Under 10 – 1st Elwood Harrison (Hull), 2nd Polly Gowans (Hull)
Under 13 – 1st Jayden Hancock (Bury), 2nd Spencer Glenton (Hull), 3rd Oliver Banyard (Sheffield), 4th Harvey Mcclachlan (Hull), 5th Harry Gibson (Hull), 6th Elliott Long (Heckmondwike), 7th Will Hollich (Hull), 8th Joseph Green (Heckmondwike).
Sixteen riders (over five categories) lined up for the senior GP, but this was reduced to 15 when Dan Green withdrew, feeling the effects of a heavy fall in heat nine of the team match. Eleven different riders won at least one race, Mark Rushby the standout with three race victories as he moved up and down the ladder.
Results
Under 18 – 1st Liam Bennett (Hull), 2nd Sam Stansfield (Sheffield)
Women – 1st Kacey Bennett (Hull), 2nd Ellice Metcalfe (Heckmondwike)
Vet 55+ – 1st Darren Kent (Heckmondwike), 2nd Pat Beacock (Heckmondwike) 3rd Stuart Hardacre (Heckmondwike)
Vet 40-54 – 1st Wil Banyard (Sheffield), 2nd Jason Keith (Hull), 3rd Justin Naylor (Heckmondwike), 4th Mark Rushby (Heckmondwike)
Senior/Open – 1st Jack Lister (Hull), 2nd Kyle Holland (Sheffield), 3rd Kielan Burton (Sheffield), 4th Ryan
Tompkinson (Hull).
The second round is at Hull on 4 th June, when Hull and Sheffield will be without their star riders (who will be in action at the Battle of Britain event in Newport.