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Location: Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre, Sheffield
Event: 20 October 2012
Report: Shaun Hudson /Snowdon Sports
The crowd witnessed a close and entertaining match as both sides gave it their all in the first leg of this weekend double header at Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre in Sheffield.
Things started badly for Wednesfield with a tape exclusion for Ben Mould which allowed Sheffield to post a 7-2 heat win courtesy of Jamie Ball and Matt Smith.
A shared heat followed before Sheffield’s Pawel Idszorek received his marching orders for the same offence which was the start of Wednesfield fight back. By heat 6 they had reduced the deficit to just one point and Sheffield were looking a little ill at ease.
Then in a bizarre twist, heat 7 failed to materialize as all four riders were excluded for failing to reach the start line and be set up in the allotted minute.
A well taken 7-3 by Matt Haddock and Chris Jewkes saw the visitors go into the interval three points to the good and a number of worried faces in the Sheffield half of the pits.
Mark Griffiths took a good win after the break for the visitors before Sheffield hit back with a well taken 6-4 from Andy Angell and Ryan Hoyland to bring Sheffield within a point of the Aces.
The next race split into two races within one and with the referee watching the front two riders he failed to spot an infringement that lead to Matt Smith being impeded and then excluded.
This galvanised the Sheffield team into positive action and they didn't concede another heat advantage. Pawel Idszorek took a nasty tumble resulting in a deep cut to his knee, however he pulled out a top drawer win in heat 16 just when it was needed.
Solid matches from all the Stars riders was the difference on the day, Mark Griffiths had a great meeting for Wednesfield and was well supported by Chris Jewkes.
In the combination league there was lots of close racing the combination fixture proved very entertaining, unfortunately Wednesfield were giving away 23pts but it didn't stop them from contesting every point which gave all concerned a good match.
Results:
Sheffield 87: Andy Angell 16+1, Ryan Hoyland 15+1, Radek Handke 14+1, Jamie Ball 11+1, Matt Smith 10, Lee Smith 9+3, Pawel Idszorek 7, Jamie Brown 5.
Wednesfield 78: Mark Griffiths 19, Chris Jewkes 12+2, Ben Mould 12, Lee Aris 11, Matt Haddock 7, Ricki Johnson 7, Dave Meanley 6, Troy Allan 4+1.
Combination Results:
Sheffield 84: Liam Webster 13, Zach Smurthwaite 11+2, Richard Hudson 9+1, Louis German 8+2, Matt Parrot 8+1, Vicky Brown 7, Niall Morton 5+2, Ed Morton DNR.
Wednesfield 67: Troy Allen 18+1, Matt Haddock 16, Dave Meanly 13, Harry Everiss 10+1, Hayden Rowley 5, Tom Bewick 5.
Please credit www.britishcycling.org.uk and link back if you use any of our race results.
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
