Heat by Heat Results - June 1965
The Dukes started the summer months with a trip to eventual champions West Ham - and after early promise, were soundly beaten. Although Halifax jumped out quickly, and held the Hammers after 4 heats, three successive 4-2s for the hosts put them in control. Tactical sub Younghusband combined with Bob Jameson in heat 8 to close to within 2 points - but it was all West Ham from thereon as the Dukes faded. Clive Hitch and Bert Kingston had frustrating nights, and Boocock failed to make an impact after an opening race win. Harrfeldt and Hunter were both unbeaten for the Hammers as they pressed ahead in search of the league title. Following the match, Dave Younghusband failed in his attempt to beat Silver Sash holder Ken McKinlay.
Returning to the Shay after their trip to the capital, the Dukes squandered a 12 point lead to drop yet more home league points, this time to Wimbledon. There was no sign of the drama ahead, as Halifax romped into a 21-9 lead after five successive heat wins. But two 5-1s for the Dons got them back into the match, with both Boothroyd and Younghusband slipping to third places after starting impressively. Although Halifax pulled away again, the Dons were able to again reduce the deficit, and a fourth heat win in a row in heat 13 sealed the draw. A fall for Boocock in the decider proved costly as Wimbledon snatched a point in a match where they had never been on level terms. The point moved Halifax up to 12th in the league table.
48 hours on from the draw against Wimbledon, and following a pits "clear the air" talk, the Dukes bounced back to form with a resounding defeat of Edinburgh. The Monarchs relied heavily on number one George Hunter, but all three Dukes heat-leaders were in imperious form, with Boocock unbeaten. Reserves Elliott and Kingston had solid performances, and Clive Hitch defeated an opponent in every heat...
After the victory over the Monarchs, the Dukes announced they had reached agreement to sign veteran Tommy Roper... however, to accommodate Roper in the team, it would be necessary to release Clive Hitch. Following his early season struggles to get in the points, particularly at the Shay, Hitch was released, and promptly signed to ride for Long Eaton for the remainder of the season.
Tommy Roper made his eagerly anticipated Dukes debut as Halifax took on a tenacious Oxford side. The Dukes were indebted however to skipper Eric Boothroyd and Dave Younghusband, plus a returning Dennis Gavros to see off the Cheetahs. After edging into a comfortable lead, Halifax's hopes were dealt a blow in heat 9, when Elliott and Boocock tangled, with the latter unable to return to the track. Ron How and Arne Pander took full advantage for the visitors to reduce the deficit and set up a last-heat decider. But Boothroyd and Gavros held their nerve to seal the win, and move the Dukes up to 11th in the league. For Roper, it was a slow start to his Dukes career, as he struggled to get his machinery going around the banking of the Shay track.
In a break from league action, the Shay hosted the Halifax round of the World Championship qualifying. With each of the major British and Commonwealth riders racing in 3 separate rounds to qualify for the next stages, it was a chance for the leading Dukes stars to make the most of home track advantage. The meeting was won, however, by Oxford's Jimmy Gooch, who took advantage of his visit to the Shay the previous week. The key battle was in heat 8, where he defeated Boocock, for the Duke's second defeat of the night. Boocock recovered to win his remaining 3 races to finish in joint second with Poole's Ronnie Genz. Dave Younghusband recovered from a disastrous start to pick up 10 points and 4th place. Gavros took a nasty fall on the second bend of heat 10, and withdrew nursing a wrist injury. The meeting ended with a farcical heat 20, which was started on 5 occasions, due to tape breaking and separate crashes.
Details of the various Dukes riders exploits on the World Championship trail during 1965 can be found in the World Championship section of the Miscellany page for 1965.
The Dukes returned to league action with a demolition of the Poole Pirates. As with previous meetings, the hosts jumped into a comfortable lead early on, but this time they kept the pressure on and refused to let the visitors back in the match. New signing Roper combined with Younghusband for a pair of 5-1s, and Boocock additionally was in superb form. Skipper Boothroyd won his first 2 outings, but suffering the effects of food-poisoning, then withdrew from the meeting, with the result already assured. The meeting was held in difficult conditions, with rain falling steadily for most of the match, but the Dukes made light work of the weather to record their highest win so far.
Notes: Yellow box/number indicates home match/programme number. Score highlighted in Gold indicates full maximum. Score highlighted in Silver indicates a paid maximum.