ASTLEY & Tyldesley put in a terrific performance in the British Indoor Cycle Speedway Team Championships at Cheslyn Hay, near Cannock, over the weekend.

The Gin Pit outfit came within a whisker of making their first appearance in a British Senior Team Final, before narrowly losing out in their Semi-Final.

A & T had a tough round one match in the Senior event, finishing well behind defending champions Heckmondwike (West Yorkshire) and former champions Gt. Blakenham (Suffolk), but level with the outdoor British Premier League champions Stoke. Heckmondwike qualified for the Semi-Finals.

Round one match score : Heckmondwike 51 Gt. Blakenham 45 Astley & Tyldesley 29 Stoke 29. A & T scorers : Russ Holland 7, Mark Ellis 7, Mike Hack 6, Damien Hack 5, Martin Phillips 4.

A & T had another attempt to qualify for the Semi-Finals with a round two match. The green shirts were in inspired form to win the match and qualify for the Semi-Finals for the third time in four years. Tameside also qualified as the highest scoring runners-up from the three Round 2 matches.

Round two match score : Astley & Tyldesley 47 Tameside 46 Scotia 39 Sandwell 27. A & T scorers : Damien Hack 14, Martin Phillips 13, Russ Holland 11, Mike Hack 9. Astley & Tyldesley were drawn in the easier Semi-Final and were determined to qualfy for their first ever Final. A poor start saw them trailing second placed Eaton (Norfolk) by five points after the first set of four races.

The Gin Pit side then hit top form to storm into the second qualifying place after heat 10, with just six races left. The scores at that stage were Heckmondwike 37 A & T 23 Eaton 22 Tameside 18.

But A & T were off the unfavourable outside starts for the last series of races. Eaton's tactics were clear - let the Heckmondwike rider go and concentrate on beating the A & T rider. Their tactics worked to an extent, but they ignored the Tameside riders and let them in to snatch the second qualifying place.

A & T gave it their all to qualify, but were left cursing having to start from the outsides in the last crucial series of races and being outmanoeuvred on the first turns. Semi-Final match score : Heckmondwike 58 Tameside 36 Eaton 34 Astley & Tyldesley 31. A & T scorers : Martin Phillips 9, Damien Hack 8, Russ Holland 8, Mike Hack 6.

Wednesfield won the Final, from Swindon, Heckmondwike and Tameside. On Saturday, A & T competed in the British Junior Indoor Team Championships, as one of the favourites to win. Unfortunately, they fell foul of some outrageous refereeing decisions and were knocked out at the Semi-Final stage. The 'neutral' Sandwell official was unable to overcome his club's fierce on-track rivalry with A & T, and ensured that the Gin Pit team didn't qualify for the Final. Phillips was in great form for A & T, but Hack, returning after a month's lay-off with a broken hand, was knocked off three times by opponents with the referee taking no action on each occasion. Semi-Final match score : Horspath 43 Wednesfield 43 Astley & Tyldesley 37 Norwich 34. A & T scorers : Martin Phillips 14, Russ Holland 9, Damien Hack 7, Mark Ellis 7.

A & T showed their class to win the Consolation Final, refereed by a different official. A & T overcame some rough challenges by an aggressive Norwich team, to win comfortably. Phillips was unbeaten, as was Hack after a first race fall. Consolation Final score : Astley & Tyldesley 51 Norwich 45 Sheffield 41 Leicester 22. A & T scorers : Martin Phillips 16, Russ Holland 13, Damien Hack 12, Mark Ellis 10.