ASTLEY and Tyldesley Cycle Speedway Club made the long trip to Cramlington  for a Northern League fixture.

A&T had a whole host of senior riders missing, for various reasons.

However, the patched-up side put up a great effort in the Division One match and narrowly missed recording a first-ever win against Northumbria.

The first five heats were all drawn, before Northumbria took a two-point lead.

A&T hit back in heat eight, with a well-worked 7-3 by the Paul Graham/Przemek Binkowski pairing to take the lead, but Northumbria levelled the scores at the break.

Northumbria regained the lead in the next race, then four drawn heats followed, before a hard-fought race extended the home team's lead to four points.

Two more shared heats meant the A&T needed a last heat 7-3 to draw, but home rider Jason Keith took the race win, for another shared heat, as Northumbria hung on to win 92-88.

A&T's long-serving Polish riders, Przemek Binkowski and Tomasz Wlodarczyk, made their first appearances of the season and they were in great form, losing only to Gavin Parr.

Binkowski inflicted Parr's only defeat of the day, in heat 16.

Reece Pollitt impressed with some excellent starting, losing only to Parr first time out and to Keith in the last heat, with strong support from Paul Graham.

Youngsters Ciaran Collins and Max Evans were always in the thick of the action, as were George Hughes and newcomer Gareth Paine.

Northern League Division One match result: Northumbria 92 Astley & Tyldesley 88.

A&T scorers: Przemek Binkowski 18 (plus one bonus), Tomasz Wlodarczyk 18, Reece Pollitt 16 (2), Paul Graham 14 (1), George Hughes 9, Ciaran Collins 7, Max Evans 3, Gareth Paine 3.

Veteran George Hughes, who had ridden for the first time since April in standing in for the missing riders, took ill in the pits at the start of the Division Two match and was subsequently kept overnight in hospital.

When the Division Two match eventually got underway, A&T's youngsters got off to a great start, winning four of the opening five races with a maximum 7-3 scoreline.

Northumbria rallied after this, but A&T were well in control and emerged convincing 86-63 winners.

Reece Pollitt rode to an untroubled maximum, with Ciaran Collins losing only to Dan Redshaw in heat seven.

Matthew Snell, Max Evans and Gareth Paine were all in excellent form, with Jon Quarmby making his debut and son Joe completing the line-up.

For Northumbria, Dan Redshaw was in great form, losing only to Reece Pollitt in heat 11.

Northern League Division Two match result: Northumbria 63 Astley & Tyldesley 86.

A&T scorers: Ciaran Collins 19, Reece Pollitt 17 (3), Gareth Paine 15, Max Evans 14 (4), Matthew Snell 14 (1), Jon Quarmby 4, Joe Quarmby 3, George Hughes dnr.

A&T ran out convincing 60-19 winners in the Division Three match.

Astley & Tyldesley take on Glasgow this forthcoming Sunday, for a Northern League Division Two and Three fixture.

First race is at 2pm, at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, Meanley Road, Gin Pit, Tyldesley, M29 7DW.

For further details, visit the club's website at www.astleycyclespeedway.org.uk.