MATCH REPORT: Sheffield begin title defence with victory over Fife

Report by Rob Mawhood, Photos by Brogan Burn

Sheffield Stars began defence of the North & Scotland League Division One title with a victory by 105-74 over Fife Revolution at the JDB All Trades Fastbowl.

Fife took an unexpected lead in heat one as Davidson/Ferguson recorded a 6-4 race win, Davidson with the first of three race wins. Fife’s lead lasted only one race as Rigley/Burton sped to a maximum 7 points in heat 2 (the first of nine in the match for Sheffield) to see Stars lead by 11-9. The first half saw Sheffield have four maximum seven point heats, but Fife had race advantages in heats seven and nine (race winners Davidson and Slight) to leave the visitors ahead by 49-40.

Sheffield started the second half with a bang, three successive 7-3 maximums (two featuring Idziorek who went on to complete an unbeaten afternoon) to extend their lead to 70-49. Sheffield sealed the league points in heat 15 with an Idziorek/Morton 7-3 maximum. The nominated races saw two shared heats, Slight getting his third race win, before Sheffield got their ninth heat maximum in the final race from Burton/idziorek (both of whom had scored 20+).

Both photos feature Sheffields Kielan Burton and Lizzie Rigley. One where plans work (above),  one when they don’t (the crash below).

Scorers –

Fife Revolution (74) – Jake Ferguson 11, Kayden Davidson 19, Calan Cuthbert 11, Jake Slight 16+1, Josh Falconer 7, Harry Langdale 6, Dougie Morgan 4+1.

Sheffield Stars (105) – Aiden Owen 13+3, Kieran Hale 19+2, Lizzie Rigfey 15, Kielan Burton 20+2,
Pawel Idziorek 22+2, Matt Parrott 7+1, Niall Morton 9+3.

Referee – Ewan Tulloch (Edinburgh)

The match race title has returned in 2025 but this was a damp squib as Kayden Davidson won on default. The nominated holder, Leon Wild (2024’s top average) withdrew from the meeting on the morning of the match with illness. Davidson defends the title at Astley next week.