Report: England v Wales U18 International

10th April 2010, Filton | Report and Images: Andy Whitehouse

Filton cycle speedway track played host to two international meetings on Saturday 10th April with a return U18s and a senior England v Wales. The Elm Park track, tucked away next to Filton Sports and Leisure Centre, is a track that many of the riders and crowd had never visited before. The track was set up in January 2006 with help from Filton Town Council and with its grass bankings proves an ideal spot to watch the racing.

First match on the programme was the Under 18s and guest of honour, British Cycling's event development officer Paul West was introduced to the riders and managers before the match got underway.

Above: British Cycling's Paul West (right) gets to grip with his new remit as Event Development Officer for Cycle Speedway, meeting both teams before it all kicked off.

England won the toss and captain Paul Heard took grids one and three, a good choice with England taking the first heat 7-3 with Leyton Glover and Tom Reed rolling in to take the points. Heat two saw Welshman Ben Mould fall on lap two after a tussle with Paul Heard who took the four points with team-mate Matt Smith taking second place. The first Welsh victory of the day came in heat six with Ben Mould storming away from the gate and taking the four points in convincing style. A substitution in heat eight saw Paul Heard replaced by Scott Millward and with Matt Smith taking his first win of the match there was another 6-4 to England. A 7-3 in heat nine saw England go into the interval twenty points to the good at 55-35.

Above: It wouldn't be cycle speedway without a good crash now would it...

... a sentiment no doubt echoed by our cap-wearing spectator on the left.

Ben Mould took his second heat win of the match for Wales in heat ten and with team-mate Louis Harvey looking favourite for a second place, the Welsh pair looked good for a 6-4. However, Harvey lost his back wheel on lap three which allowed Higham and Millward to steal second and third place and a 5-5 draw. Tom Reed and Ben Mould were locked in a four-lap tussle in heat 12, not giving an inch to each other but Reed just got the win on the line and a beaming smile on the Englishman's face said it all. Wales took their first 7-2 of the meeting in heat 13 after the fifth re-run, with Dylan Radcliffe excluded for a tape infingement at the first ask, unsatisfactory starts and first bend crashes, the heat finally got underway at the fifth attempt and Aaron Hughes took the win with substitute Jack Harrold taking three points for his second place.

Wales seemed to be geting their riding together and with wins for Louis Harvey in heat 14 and Jack Harrold the following heat, the young Welshmen were making England race for their points. However it would prove too late in the meeting to make a difference to the final result with England 21 points ahead with three heats remaining. England wrapped the meeting up with two 7-3 wins in heats seventeen and eighteen and a final score 104-74.

RESULT 

ENGLAND 104: MATT SMITH 17+2, BEN HIGHAM 15+1, TOM REED 15+1, PAUL HEARD 12+2, LEYTON GLOVER 12+2 SCOTT MILLWARD 11+1, DYLAN RADCLIFFE 11+1, SCOTT MILLWARD 11+1

WALES 74: BEN MOULD 16, JACK HARROLD 14, MARK CARMICHAEL 12, AARON HUGHES 11+1, LOUIS HARVEY 9, JOE LEWIS 6, RYAN EVANS 5, RYAN LEWIS 3

REFEREE MIKE LEGGE