HOSTS Astley & Tyldesley Cycle Speedway were always up against it.

But they gave it their best shot in the British U19s Team Championships.

Late withdrawals put them straight into the semis, a second spot earning them a place in the final.

Score: Poole 56, A & T 51, Bury 33.

Scorers: Lee Smethills 15, Daniel Ward 14, Martin Phillips 9, Luke Mather 7, Daniel Helme 6.

The final was a much tougher affair with the placings exactly the same as 1996.

Smethills was A & T's only race winner, Ward giving good support.

Score: Wednesfield 55, Poole 40, Hethersett 35, A & T 29.

Scorers: Smethills 11, Ward 9, Mather 4, Phillips 3, Helme 2.

The day's racing ended with the North West Grand Prix, won by Swindon's Steve Harris with fine efforts from local lads Phillips (10 points) and Smethills (9).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.