40's AND 50's FOR HUBBLE

Dennis Hubble, won both the over 40's A. Final, and the over 50's A. final on Saturday afternoon (24 July) at the Sandwell Lions Tividale track, after a great afternoon's racing. The oldest rider on view was the young at heart Chic Mackie, who says he is the oldest rider still riding regularity in league cycle-speedway at the age of 72. In the A final of the over 40's the was a very bad looking collision, when Mick Skinner and Phil Hemming came together going into the first bend, both riders went over their handlebars before hitting the ground, but after a few minutes both riders were back on their feet and both took their places in the re-run.

Over 60's A. final
Colin Wheeler, Dave Baxter, Chic Mackie.

Over 50's A final
Dennis Hubble, Mick Skinner, Paul Timms, Phil Hemming

Over 50's B final
Mike Burgess, Colin Wheeler, Fred Rothwell, Dave Baxter
Over 40's A. Final
Dennis Hubble, Norman Verson, Mick Skinner, Phil Hemming

Over 40's B. final
Mark Griffith, Mike Burgess, Colin Wheeler, Paul Timms.

LIONS DOUBLE VICTORY AT WEDNESFIELD
On Sunday (18 July) the lions took all the points in both the Division One and Division two matches.

Division One:
Wednesfield 87 Sandwell 93.
Lee Smith 19, Matt Smith 17+1, Jamie Ball 14+1, Tom Haddock 14,
David Ball 12+2, Ricki Johnson 7, Peter Clark 6, Matt Haddock 4+1.

Division Two:
Wednesfield 40 Sandwell 90
Ricki Johnson 20, Peter Clark 15+1, Matt Haddock 15+1,
Jamie Ball 14+4, David Ball 13+3,Tom Haddock 13+3.

TOO EASY FOR LIONS

Sandwell Lions found the going easy against a poor East Park Wolves side on Thursday night (8th July) in a Midland League match, winning by 113 points to 62. Lee Smith was undefeated by any of visitors, in his score of 18 points, following his partner Dave Ball home in two of his five rides, Mark Newey and Scott Millward both scored 18 points.

An under par Lee Aris was the best East Park rider taking 13 points with the only other double figure scorer for the visitors being Luke Draisey with 10. East Park are a young team and I am sure in the coming years we will see a much better Wolves team, but building a strong team takes time, as Sandwell can tell you. But for once this season the young Lions took control of the match early on and went on to win.

One of the highlights of this match was the return to something like his best form of Tom Haddock. While Jamie Ball found the going hard, but with more training he too will return to somewhere near his best form.

Sandwell Lions:
Lee Smith 18+2, Mark Newey 18+1, Scott Millward 18, Matt Smith 16+3, David Ball 15+1, Tom Haddock 14+2, Phil Hemming 10+2, Jamie Ball 4+1.

East Park Wolves:
Lee Aris 13+1, Luke Draisley 10, Stuart Bentley 9, Danny Garner 8, Liam Rich 8, Steve Guy 6, Jordon Rich 4, Tara Warren 4+1.

BY&J Championship, Sandwell 5June 2010

Under 8's
A.final
Kyle Bell (Wed), Chardonnay White (Wed), Scott Prince (Bret), Josh Whetton (East P)
B.Final
Ryan Winwood (Birm)

Under 10's
A.Final
James Harriman (Wed), Nrall Cleaver (Bret), Callum Thomas (Bret), Dan Prince (Bret)
B.Final
Joe Guy (East P), Kurtis Evans (Wed), Jason Cleaver (Bret), Jake Gray (Bret)
C.Final
Brandon Wiremaden (Sand), Callum Downs (East P), Chloe Whitehead (Lei), Reece Winwood (Birm)
D. Final
Bradley Sellick (East P), Amy Jones (Wed)

Under 12's
A Final
Lee Kemp (Bret), Sharna Cox (Wed), Kyle Roberts (Bret), Luke Whitehead (Leic)
B.Final
Brandon Whetton (East Park), Matthew Hambridge (Bret), Courtney Aris (Wed), Callum Downs (East P)
C.Final
Connor Wilson (Bret), Alex Aris (Wed)

Under 14's
A.Final
Liam Johnson Rich (East P), Matt Haddock (Sand), Jordan Holdcroft (Wed), Harry Everiss (Wed)
B.Final
Troy Allen (Wed), Jamie Whetton (East P), Jonathan Cox (Sand), Connor Dyke (Wed)

Under 16's
A.Final
Scott Millward (Sand), Matt Smith (Sand), Joe Kemp (Bret), Ricki Johnson (Sand)
B. Final
Daniel Gamer (East P), Micky Bassi (Wed)

Under 18'S
A. Final
Luke Draisey (Wed), Ben Harper (Wed), Josh Hill (Sand), Jamie Burke (East P)
B. Final:
John Russel (Wed)
Girls:

Tom Reed Wins Again

Tom Reed (Poole) won the John Baugh Trophy for the second time on Spring Bank Holiday Monday afternoon (31 May) at Sandwell's Tividale track. The meeting which is an annual event in the Sandwell calender, was once again up to the high standard of riding that this meeting has come to expect, and it  was action from heat one right through to the re-run off for the title. At the end of the first part of the programme (the qualifying heats), the front runners for the trophy were Lee Smith (18 points), Andy Angell (17), Paul Heard and Tom Reed (both 16). In the first heat of the A final with these four going all out to secure the points to take into the next heat, Paul Heard took a very bad fall on the third bend, which resulted in a twist knee, which was too painful for him to continue and he retired from the meeting, and his chance of winning the trophy went on the back burner for another. In the next heat Lee Smith got excluded and this disappointment was leave him points short because in he won his next two races to leave him on 10points from his three A final rides, and Sandwell's chances of a home winner went with him. For Tom and Andy the racing just got harder and harder, as either one gave an inch, and both hitting the deck in the two remaining races. both ending on 12 points, and so a run-off was the needed to find a winner. In the last race of the afternoon both riders shot from the tapes with first one and then the other taking the lead, and as both came out of the last turn, they both hit the track with Tom Reed getting back to his feet, just in front of Andy Angell to take the race and win the trophy.

A. Final scores:
Tom Reed 12, Andy Angell 12, Lee Smith 10, Paul Heard 0.

B. Final:
Mark Carmicheal 12, after run-off Darius Pilas 12, Lewis Osborne 11, TomHaddock 4.

C. Final:
Chris Jewkes 12, Daniel Osborne 11, Scott Millward 10, Ben Mould 7

D. Final:
Matt Smith 14 after run-off Dylan Radcliffe 14, Ben Higham 8, Jack Lush 8.

Referee: A. Bentley

Before the meeting started Young Matt Haddock did a lap of the track and showed off his under 13's Trophy to the applauding crowd.

Lions can't hold Aces

Sunday afternoon (16 May) at the Tividale Sports Centre, Sandwell Lions fail to hold the Wednesfield Aces in this Midland League match.

The Lions took the lead in the first heat when Matt Turley was excluded for moving at the tapes, so they had a one point lead which they kept in the second. This heat was one of the best of the afternoon has Tom Haddock and Scott Doherty found a four lap battle for second place, which was won by the Aces rider.

It was not until heat heat six that Wednesfield took a lead which they kept until the last heat,slowly increasing their hold in the second half of match until they won by 94 points to 80.

Matt Smith was the meetings top scorer with 19 points his only defeat coming in the first heat to Chris Jewkes. the match saw several exclusions with Lee Smith and Peter Clark both going back to the pits for moving at the tapes, and Jamie Ball chain coming off what a good position in heat 15.

Sandwell:
Matt Smith 19, Scott Millward 17, Tom Haddock 11, Lee Smith 10, Jamie Ball 9, David Ball 8+1, Jim Palmer 7+2, Peter Clark 4.
Wednesfield:
Chris Jewkes 18, Mark Griffiths 17+1, Scott Doherty 15+2, Sam Smith 14+1, Roger Cox 11+1, Tony De Leon 9, Matt Turley 6, Mick Aris 4+1.

The Second Division match was marred by the accident in heat three which resulted in young Reanna Brindley being taken to hospital for a spinal examination, everyone at Sandwell wish her well.

Scott Millward, Matt Smith, Matt Haddock and Jim Palmer carried on as they had done the day before all top scoring for Sandwell, with Charlie Ellitts, Mikey Bassi and John Russell being the best for the young Aces side.

One rider to catch the eye was newcomer Adam Rowley riding in his first ever match, he found out where the safety fence was in the pre-match warm-up, and just missed it several times in the match.

Sandwell II: 76-5
Matt Haddock 19, Jim Palmer 15+1, Josh Hill 15, Scott Millward 14+2
Peter Clark 9, Adam Rowley 4.
Wednesfield II: 54
Charlie Ellitts 13+1, Mikey Bassi 12+1, John Russell 10, Harry Everiss

YOUNG LIONS CHAMPIONS

At Wednesfield on Saturday (15 May) the Sandwell Lions under 16's team won the British team championship for that age group. In their semi-final they beat off the other four teams scoring 56 points to Stockport's 50, Horspath 44, Wednesfield 25 and Exeter 22.

Scott Millward scored 16 points, Matt Smith 12, Matt Haddock 11, Jim Palmer 9, Ricki Johnson 8. so they moved on to the Final along with Stockport to meet the winners of the other semi-final Poole and Newport.

In the final they were never in trouble being front with their scoring in every heat and finishing seven points in front of Poole by scoring 49 points to Poole's 42 with Stockport finishing on 38 and Newport on 29.

Sandwell scorers in the final were; Matt Smith 15, Scott Millward 13, Matt Haddock 10, Jim Palmer 7, Ricki Johnson 4.

So Sandwell Lions were Champions and with young riders like this the club should have a great future, In riders like Scott Millward, Matt Smith and Jim Palmer who are already showing their skills in the Midland League First Division, while Ricki Johnson and Matt Haddock (who was 13 on the day before) are riding in the Second Division team and are looking to make the next step up to the First Division team. Matt Haddock will next week be riding in the Under 13's

THREE LIONS DO WELL (12th April 2010)

On Saturday (11 April), Three Sandwell Lions, changed their club Lions for English Lions, and rode well in Test matches against Wales, at Filton (nr Bristol).

In the senior Test England beat Wales by 102 points to 75.

With young Lee Smith showing why so many tip him for big things in the sport, scoring 13 points, winning one race and following his partner home in two others, and helping his country pile up the points against the Dragons.

In the Young England match England again won this time by 104 points to Young Wales 74. Matt Smith was the top scorer for the English Lions with 17 points, to show that his brother is not the only Smith with lots of promise.

Scott Millward also scored 11 points for this side, once again another top class showing by one of Sandwell up and coming young Stars. They had three lions on their shirts and these three Sandwell Lions shone Brightly on Saturday.