AFTER some excellent wins this season in the Northern League, it was a below strength Astley & Tyldesley cycle speedway side that took to the track at Heckmondwike.

A & T paid the price by being beaten by a Heckmondwike side that recorded their first win of the season.

A & T kept the scores close in the first half, trailing by two points at the interval, but the home side took three maximum heat wins in the second half, to give a final score of Heckmondwike 81 Astley & Tyldesley 68.

Tomasz Wlodarczyk and Remi Burchardt won seven races between them for A & T, but only Ben Dickenson provided strong support. Heckmondwike had former British Champion Colin Wheeler making his debut for them and he was beaten only twice.

A & T are hosting the fifth and final round of the Northern Grand Prix series at Gin Pit on Sunday, 12 noon start. The racing features the full range of categories.