Astley & Tyldesley skipper Damien Hack was in action in the European Junior Individual Cycle Speedway Championships at Sandwell at the weekend. As expected, the competition was tough, but Damien put in some terrific rides in his Semi-Final event.

However, his bid to reach the final was terminated due to a disgraceful decision by Sandwell referee Pete Dalley, an official who has consistently robbed A & T riders over the years. Everybody present saw Polish rider Lukasz Jozwiak of Bydgoszcz clearly move before the start of heat 10, but Dalley saw fit to adjudge Damien Hack as the culprit and his subsequent exclusion from that race from a favourable starting position was sufficient to end his challenge, as the points lost were just too much to catch up in a tough field.

Rafal Dulinski of Torun won the Junior Final and later on Sunday fellow Pole Karol Szymanski, of Bydgoszcz, won the Senior Final.

On Saturday, England overcame a large deficit to defeat Poland in the last race, in both the Senior and Junior Team Finals. The Poles were well in command before the rain came down, but struggled in both matches in the wet as the English riders enjoyed having tyres better suited to the greasy wet surface. Damien Hack was once again overlooked for selection in the England Junior Team.

However, it was not all doom and gloom for the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare / CTA Direct club at the weekend. Negotiations conducted over the weekend resulted in A & T signing two promising young Polish riders. 19 years old Tomasz Wlodarczyk, who races for the Czestochowa club, and 18 years old Przemek Binkowski, who races for the Torun club, have joined A & T and will make their debuts in Sunday's Midlands / North League Division 2 match at Gin Pit, against Hull. The match takes place at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, Meanley Road, Gin Pit, Astley and starts at 2 pm. Spectators are always welcome, with admission and car parking free of charge.

Mike Hack

Astley & Tyldesley Club Secretary

Tel. 01942 515341 (H) or 0161-793 3537 (W)