Astley & Tyldesley visited Sheffield for the 6th Round of the Northern Fours League and Junior League series.

A&T just miss out to finish last Cycle speedway IN the Northern Fours League match A & T were neck and neck with the home team for 3rd place, before losing out in the final race.

Martin Phillips made a welcome return to form, top scoring for the Gin Pit outfit, with good support from Damien Hack. Final score: Heckmondwike 59 Bury 38 Sheffield 32 Astley & Tyldesley 31. A & T scorers: Martin Phillips 10, Damien Hack 9, Mike Hack 7, Russell Holland 4, Mark Ellis 1.

qA&T turned in their best Junior League performance of the season, finishing 2nd out of 7 teams. Damien Hack rode unbeaten in the U-16 match and moved up to joint leader in the U-16 Northern Junior Grand Prix series, with one round remaining. Martin Phillips also rode unbeaten in the U-19/Senior Combination category, with Mike Hack dropping one point and Russell Holland turning in an excellent performance.

Final score: Sheffield 140 Astley & Tyldesley 74 Bury 67 Tameside 65 Hull 46 Heckmondwike 31 Stockport 10. A & T scorers: Martin Phillips 16, Damien Hack 16, Mike Hack 15, Russell Holland 12, Mark Ellis 8, Steve Holland 7.

qDAMIEN Hack turned in an excellent showing to finish 5th in the Manchester Senior Grand Prix Final at Stockport.

However, he suffered disappointment in the British U-16 Individual Final at Norwich.

He started as one of the top favourites for the title, but on a very poor slippery track, he fell twice.

There was a lengthy delay to the match after heat 7, as the referee threatened to abandon the match, unless the Norwich club carried out extensive work to the surface.

But the damage had been done by that time, as several riders had fallen and lost their chances.

Damien finished in 11th place after scoring 11 points. To compound his misery, he received an apology from the British U-16 Grand Prix Co-Ordinator that he had been wrongly prevented from taking his place in the Grand Prix 'A' Final at Wednesfield a fortnight earlier. It never rains but it pours !

Mike Hack

Club Secretary

Tel. 01942 515341 (H) or 0161-793 3537 (W)