Astley and Tyldesley Cycle Speedway Club enjoyed a successful afternoon on Sunday in West Yorkshire, with two convincing wins against Heckmondwike in Northern League fixtures.
A&T maintained their Division Two title challenge, with an emphatic 84-65 win. The first three races were close, before the Caspar Ellis/ Duncan Whalley pairing took a 7-3 heat win against Justin Naylor/ Philip Vanner.
A&T increased their lead to 10 points at the interval and marched on throughout the second half to further extend their lead. Heckmondwike’s only heat win came in the last race, after Emily Burgess fell and was excluded. The vastly-experienced Heckmondwike pairing combined well to keep out the ever-challenging Whalley, for a 7-2 heat win - Whalley’s only defeat of the day.
Steve Harris raced unbeaten for A&T, with solid performances from the rest of the team. Ellis and Burgess were unfortunate to drop points after falling on the dry, slippery surface but Ellis won two races on his first match back, following an 18-month injury lay-off. Frank White pulled off an excellent last-lap pass on Heckmondwike’s best rider, Darren Kent, to win heat 13.
North & Scotland League Division Two result: Heckmondwike 65 Astley & Tyldesley 84.
A&T scorers: Frank White 17, Steve Harris 15 (plus 1 bonus), Caspar Ellis 14, Emily Burgess 13 (1), Duncan Whalley 11 (3), Josh Pilkington 9 (2), Levi Edwards 5.
A&T kept up their 100-per-cent record in Division Three, winning 71-19 against Heckmondwike. A&T’s Alex Lawless and Frank White both raced unbeaten in the Under-10 and U13 categories, respectively.
Northern League Division Three result: Heckmondwike 19 Astley & Tyldesley 71.
A&T scorers: Alex Lawless 16, Frank White 16, Josh Pilkington 13, Levi Edwards 10, Elijah Rechembei 8, Heather Brighouse 4, Charlotte Brighouse 4.
A&T made it five wins out of five in the midweek Manchester League Division Two series at Stockport last Wednesday. They finished behind Bury, but ahead of Stockport and Sheffield in the Division One match.
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