ASTLEY and Tyldesley upset the odds to claim their first ever Northern Knockout title in Sheffield on Sunday in the club’s 25th anniversary season.

Radek Handke and Damian Zareba were the star riders as A&T won the first semi-final and then beat off competition from runners-up Bury Comets to earn victory by three points in the final.

A&T led for most of their semi-final and eventually pipped Stockport by a point as the top two comfortably qualified at the expense of Hull and Heckmondwike.

Handke and Zareba, both of Poland, contributed 14 points, with valuable back up from Reece Pollitt and Mark Mulvey.

Stockport took an early lead after the first four rounds of the final before A&T took control of the contest.

It was Bury who came through as their main challengers and the result was in the balance until the final two races.

Zareba took a bad knock in the penultimate race following a pile-up on the first bend, but he bravely took his place in the re-run and passed Edinburgh’s Jake Slight on the last lap to take a valuable third place.

That meant Handke only had to finish the final round to clinch overall victory for A&T, but he came home in second spot, just behind Bury’s Ben Scrannage, dropping his first points of the final.

A&T's juniors were in impressive form at Hull on Saturday, in Northern Round 2 of the British Youth & Junior League series.

Both John White and Reece Pollitt won their respective Grand Prix A finals for the second round running at under-10s and u17s levels, respectively.

Max Evans finished second in the u14s A final, with Joe Quarmby and Ciaran Collins taking third places in the u10s and u17s A finals, respectively, as A&T finished third overall in the team event.

Tyldesley also had a winner in the Junior Northern KO. Adam Watson, aged 15, rode to victory with his Sheffield Stars team on Sunday, scoring 15 points as his side beat off competition from Bury and Stockport.

Results

Northern KO Cup first semi-final: Astley & Tyldesley 48 Stockport 47 Hull 37 Heckmondwike 28.

A&T scorers: Radek Handke 14, Damian Zareba 14, Reece Pollitt 12, Mark Mulvey 6, Gareth Paine 2.

Second semi-final: Bury 47 Edinburgh 43 Northumbria 37 Sheffield 32.

Final: Astley & Tyldesley 46 Bury 43 Stockport 40 Edinburgh 29.

A&T scorers: Radek Handke 15, Damian Zareba 14, Reece Pollitt 10, Mark Mulvey 7, Gareth Paine DNR.

British Youth and Junior League North Regional Round Two: Sheffield 128 Bury 83 Astley & Tyldesley 77 Hull 75.

For further information on Astley & Tyldesley Cycling Club, visit the website at www.astleycyclespeedway.org.uk