Astley & Tyldesley travelled to Stoke for a Northern League match on Sunday. A & T welcomed Chris Finnigan for his first match of the season. Stoke took an early lead, but A & T looked set to level the scores with Darek Kurkowski leading heat 4. However, he shed a chain, and repeated the feat whilst leading heat 8. In between, Finnigan fell in heat 5 whilst challenging for the lead, and Stoke opened up a 12 points lead after heat 8. The visitors fought hard to reduce the deficit, but Stoke's tactics were set out to maintain the lead, and they held on to win 93.5 - 84.5.

Kurkowski won the three races he completed, with Remi Burchardt and Tomasz Wlodarczyk also winning three races each, but A & T fell to another defeat, with the three races described costing them dearly, after putting up a spirited showing and contributing to a very entertaining and sporting match. Laura Allen had her best match yet in the first team, taking three second places. For Stoke, Simon Munden was in fine form with some fast starts, whilst Errol Thaw and Richard Harrison both pulled off some excellent passes, on a fast and dry track.

Northern League match result

Stoke 93.5 Astley & Tyldesley 84.5

Stoke: Simon Munden 17, Richard Harrison 17, Errol Thaw 16.5 (1), Leighton Bates 14, Adam Ellis 11 (3), Lance Bates 9 (1), Matt Bailey 5 (1), Damien Leach 4.

A & T: Tomasz Wlodarczyk 17.5, Remi Burchardt 17, Darek Kurkowski 14, Chris Finnigan 12 (1), Laura Allen 11, Joe Allen 7 (1), Mike Hack 6 (1).

Referee - Lewis Bates.

Stoke also took the Combination match, after A & T conceded 44 penalty points for using three ineligible riders.

Northern Combination League match result

Stoke 'B' 87 Astley & Tyldesley 'B' 73

Stoke: Adam Ellis 13, Leighton Bates 10, Matt Bailey 8, Selim Osman 5 (1), Damien Leach 4, Lance Bates 3.

A & T: Tomasz Wlodarczyk 14 (2), Remi Burchardt 14 (2), Darek Kurkowski 14, Mike Hack 11 (2), Joe Allen 11 (1), Laura Allen 9 (1).

Referee - Simon Munden.