The match was a very close affair throughout, with A & T and Stoke level at the halfway stage, with Sheffield three points behind. The positions were still identical on entering the last round of four races. However, A & T finished off on the unfavourable outside starting grids. Stoke pulled clear for the victory, and Sheffield overhauled A & T for the first time on the day in the very last race. It was a real disappointment for A & T to lose so narrowly, after giving it their all on a heavy track. Most matches have a key incident, and A & T were most unhappy that Radek Sieradski's double leg that brought down Chris Finnigan on the last bend of heat 6 went unpenalised by the referee. An incident that could well decide the ultimate outcome of this year's Northern Fours League.

Stoke and Sheffield are now the joint leaders, with A & T half a match point behind, with one round to go at Bury.

Northern Fours League match result:

Stoke 53 Sheffield 46 Astley & Tyldesley MWC 45 Edinburgh 0.

Stoke: Lewis Bates 15, Errol Thaw 14, Simon Munden 12, Richard Harrison 7, Leighton Bates 5.

Sheffield: Chris Turner 13, Radek Sieradski 13, Martin Gamble 10, Pawel Kozlowski 10.

A & T: Tomasz Wlodarczyk 13, Darek Kurkowski 13, Chris Finnigan 10, Frank Finnigan 7, Mark Taylor 2.

Referee - Fred Rothwell (Bury).

At junior level, A & T put up their best display for some time in taking 3rd place in the Northern Junior League match at Stoke. Mark Taylor was A & T's best rider in the Senior Combination category, whilst Laura Allen had her best match to date in the U-13 category.

Northern Junior League match result:

Stockport 113 Sheffield 90 Astley & Tyldesley MWC 59 Bury 57 Hull 24 Heckmondwike 21 Stoke 15 Edinburgh 0.