CONTROVERSY surrounded an epic performance by Astley & Tyldesley Speedway in the Northern Junior Fours Tournament.

Ridden in atrocious conditions on a storm-swept Hull circuit, they pushed eventual winners Tameside all the way.

Then, in Heat 16, James Mann was forced off the track by a Tameside rider - with no action by the referee.

A & T still returned home happy with a thundering show.

Three U16s and one U13 made up the team for the U19s event, and they finished a creditable second.

Last year A & T won the tournament, but only Lee Smethills survives from that team - and he top-scored, dropping just one point.

A & T's B team paid the penalty for being a rider short, finishing last.

Result: Tameside 56, A & T A 48, Hull 39, Bury 25, A & T B 24.

A & T scorers: Smethills 15, Martin Phillips 12, Damien Hack 11, Mann 10 (A team), Ashley Thorpe 11, Ben Wells 7, Dale Edwards 6 (B team).

Race wins by Mike Hack and Lee Smethills failed to prevent A & T from making an early exit in the Northern Senior Fours Tournament.

Semi-final: Heckmondwike 56, Bury 36, A & T 27.

A & T scorers: Smethills 10, Mike Hack 8, James Mann 5, Martin Phillips 3, Damien Hack 1.

Tameside won the senior final, ahead of Heckmondwike and Stockport.

Club training is on Wednesdays (7pm) at Gin Pit. Newcomers are welcome.

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