Heat by Heat Results - July 1966

The Dukes entered the second half of the season with a nervy last-heat decider against Poole Pirates.  Eric Boocock had a night to forget with engine troubles, including looping at the start of heat 10, and with Kingston also out of sorts, the Pirates looked like causing a shock defeat.  But solid scoring from Boothroyd, Gavros and Jameson at reserve kept the Dukes in contention.  When Boocock trailed home last in heat 12, it set up the final race drama - but Younghusband completed an imperious maximum, shadowed by Boothroyd to seal the win.  The Dukes now found themselves in 3rd place in the table, 5 points behind leaders Coventry, but with a match in hand.

The Dukes were brought crashing down to earth and received a reality check with a mauling at the hands of league-leaders Coventry.  Halifax had no luck, but also no answer to the Bees trio of Nigel Boocock, Lightfoot and Mountford, with only Eric Boocock managing to take points from Lightfoot in the final race.  Dave Younghusband was plagued by machine issues all night, failing at the start of heat 3, and then seeing team-mate Gavros crash out of the meeting with a nasty fall.  The Dukes failed to register either a heat win or heat advantage all evening as they slipped down to 4th place in the league.

Four days after their humbling at Brandon, the Dukes took their frustrations out on the hapless Oxford side, who had Arne Pander to rely on to avoid an even heavier defeat.  Tommy Roper pulled up with engine problems in heat 1 to give the Cheetahs an early advantage, but from then on it was plain sailing as Halifax registered 10 heat advantages in the remaining 12 races.  Pander was the thorn in the Dukes side, preventing any of the heat-leader trio from completing a maximum, although the solid scoring from the rest of the Dukes meant the result was never in doubt.

A second Saturday in a row away to a title challenger, and the same outcome for the Dukes.  Halifax were swept away in the first 4 heats at a slick Blunsdon, with Tommy Roper pulling out after 1 outing with a blown motor.  Eric Boocock was also down on power, with his main bike en-route to Poland, and with Kingston suffering a split fuel tank in the pits, the Dukes were forced to share machinery.  But in addition to Roper, neither Gavros nor Jameson could register a point as the Robins eased to the win, which moved them closer to Coventry in the title chase, and increased the gap to the Dukes.

With the England test team (including Eric Boocock) away in Poland, the Dukes took a break from league action to contest the Northern Cup against Sheffield.  King's Lynn's Terry Betts guested for Halifax but blew a motor as he crossed the line to win heat 3, having to borrow Dennis Gavros' machine before pulling out of the meeting. The match itself was a one-sided affair, with the result being assured as early as heat 8, following 7 heat wins for Halifax, with only 2 wins from Sheffield's John Dews keeping the scores respectable.  The downside of the evening was a swollen foot received by Eric Boothroyd courtesy of a collision with Jack Kitchen in the first running of heat 11.

The 30th July 1966 is forever remembered as the day England beat West Germany to win the 1966 World Cup.  200 miles north of Wembley, the heavens opened and nearly forced the postponement of the match against the Falcons, but it went ahead in heavy conditions.  With Eric Boothroyd ruled out with his swollen foot, the Dukes gave a debut to local junior Ian Wilson.  Eric Boocock's equipment had been lost in a road accident on the way back from Poland, and so Boocock had to borrow from team-mates to get through the evening.  After a close few heats, successive 5-1s for the Dukes took them into a lead they would not relinquish.  Halifax were now back up to 4th in the table - 9 points behind Coventry, but with 3 matches in hand...