MATCH REPORT: Manchester League Junior & Veteran Individuals
The midweek 2023 Manchester League season concluded at Bury on Wednesday evening, with the last set of Individual Finals. Due to low numbers participating in this year’s age category events, it was decided to merge them and run as a single Ladder match. The various age category awards were then determined by riders’ placings in the final round of races. There was an open draw for grid positions in the final round of races. The Veterans Championship also took place, with one race held at the end of each round of the Juniors match.
The White brothers from Astley & Tyldesley dominated the Junior match. 16 years old John won all his five races, with 12 years old Frank losing only to his elder brother. Bury’s 13 years old Jayden Hancock finished 3rd overall, with 10 years old Bobby Dunphy 4th.
Manchester League Junior Championship results
U-19s: 1st John White (Astley & Tyldesley); 2nd Owen Simcock (Astley & Tyldesley).
U-16s: 1st Jayden Hancock (Bury).
U-13s: 1st Frank White (Astley & Tyldesley); 2nd Jayden Hancock (Bury); 3rd Bobby Dunphy (Bury); 4th Nahom Tumizghy (Astley & Tyldesley); 5th Levi Edwards (Astley & Tyldesley).
U-10s: 1st Bobby Dunphy (Bury); 2nd Carson Derbyshire (Bury); 3rd Jacob Latham (Astley & Tyldesley); 4th Elijah Rechembei (Astley & Tyldesley); 5th James Jackson (Astley & Tyldesley).
Referee – Kris Ramsden.
The Veterans match was a close fought encounter, with gate positions proving to be decisive. A&T’s Steve Harris and Stockport’s Terry Norman both took the race win when inside their opponent. Consequently, both finished on 14 points. Norman won the toss for grid positions in the run-off and went off grid 2. He held his gate and led for two laps, until Harris dived up the inside entering the pits bend. Norman withstood the challenge and Harris took a heavy fall, resulting in a race stoppage and subsequent awarding of a race win to Norman.
Manchester League Veterans Championship result
Vets: 1st Terry Norman (Stockport) 14, 2nd Steve Harris (Astley & Tyldesley) 14. 3rd Mark Radford (Bury) 8.
Referee – Kris Ramsden.