MATCH REPORT: Manchester League Round 6

July 21, 2023 Steve Copping

Report and photos by Mike Hack

Bury hosted the 6th and final round of the 2023 Manchester League series. There was a disappointingly low turn out, with no u-16s and just one u-19 rider, on a warm and sunny Wednesday evening.

Bury had two riders in the Division 2 match who rode to maximum scores – Bobby Dunphy (u-10) and Jayden Hancock (u-13). Both riders completed the whole series unbeaten, to win their respective Grand Prix titles. Owen Simcock of A&T scored 16, by virtue of being the only u-19 rider present. Astley & Tyldesley riders again secured enough points between them to take the team win on the night, their fifth of the series, to retain the Manchester League Division 2 title.

Manchester League Division 2 result (top 5 scorers only count to each team’s total)

Astley & Tyldesley 55 Bury 42

U-10s: Bobby Dunphy (Bury) 16, Alex Lawless (A&T) 13, Carson Derbyshire (Bury) 10, Elijah Rechembei (A&T) 7, Charlotte Brighouse (A&T) 4.
U-13s: Jayden Hancock (Bury) 16, Oscar Belt (A&T) 12, Josh Pilkington (A&T) 7, Levi Edwards (A&T) 5.
U-16s: No entries.
U-19s: Owen Simcock (A&T) 16.

Referee – Mark Radford.

Final standings
Division 2: Astley & Tyldesley 11 (358) Bury 7 (325).
U-10 GP: Bobby Dunphy (Bury) 96, Alex Lawless (A&T) 81, Carson Derbyshire (Bury) 41.
U-13 GP: Jayden Hancock (Bury) 96, Oscar Belt (A&T) 73, Josh Pilkington (A&T) 36.
U-16 GP: Tom Dunphy (Bury) 80 Mason Gallagher (A&T) 36.
U-19 GP: Owen Simcock (A&T) 80.

Bury’s Reece Pollitt and Sheffield’s Ed Morton both raced to maximum scores in the Division 1 match, as the home team ran out winners in the team competition for the sixth time this series. Pollitt clinched overall victory in the Senior GP series, with Stockport’s Terry Norman sealing the overall win in the Veterans GP series. Bury won the Manchester League Division 1 title for the first time since 1987, which was their only previous win.

Manchester League Division 1 result (top 5 scorers only count to each team’s total)

Bury 37 Sheffield 25 Stockport 25 Astley & Tyldesley 18

Seniors: Reece Pollitt (Bury) 16, Ed Morton (Sheffield) 16, Kris Ramsden (Bury) 15, Terry Norman (Stockport) 13, Ben Higham (Stockport) 12, Steve Harris (A&T) 11, Laura Watson (Sheffield) 9, Owen Simcock (A&T) 7, Mark Radford (Bury) 6.
Veterans: Harris 16, Norman 16, Radford 13.
Referee – John Dunphy.

Final standings:
Division 1: Bury 21 (317) Stockport 11 (115) Astley & Tyldesley 9 (93) Sheffield 7 (62).
Senior GP: Reece Pollitt (Bury) 90, Terry Norman (Stockport) 75, Kris Ramsden (Bury) 75.
Veterans GP: Terry Norman (Stockport) 92, Steve Harris (A&T) 62, Mark Radford (Bury) 56.
Women’s GP: No entries.