Heat by Heat Results - September 1966

The Dukes claimed another massive away win at Edinburgh thanks to another flawless maximum from Eric Boocock and impressive support from Roper and Younghusband.  Halifax lead throughout and it was to the credit of the Monarchs that they held on to force a last-heat decider, which was made anti-climatic when Hunter retired, leaving Younghusband and Gavros to fill the minor places.  Special mention must be given to skipper Eric Boothroyd who team-rode in heats 6 and 9 to ensure shared heats to keep Harkins and Tannock at the rear.  The victory was all the more important as Coventry also sealed an away win at Hackney.  The Dukes were now 9 points behind the Bees, but with 5 matches in hand...

Predicatbly, the Dukes gained another away victory at Cradley, but made no mistake by crushing the hapless Heathens by 24 points to close the gap on the Bees.  Eric Boocock eased to yet another maximum and was joined by Dave Younghusband who was also unbeaten, and Tommy Roper only dropping 1 point. Halifax won 8 of the 13 races to ease to victory and keep the pressure on Coventry at the top of the table.  More importantly, news came through that Swindon had lost at Exeter, almost certainly ending their chances of the league title.

With momentum now building following the away wins at Edinburgh and Cradley, Halifax ensured to keep the pressure on Coventry with a comfortable win over local rivals Sheffield.  The Dukes' heat-leader trio were all unbeaten as the hosts ensured the league points were safe as early as heat 9.  John Dews and Arnie Haley offered limited resistance for the Tigers, who failed to provide a heat winner all evening.  The Dukes now sat 5 points behind Coventry with just over a month of the season remaining, but the Bees having raced more fixtures...

Halifax made it 10 victories in a row with a demolition of Glasgow in poor conditions on a wet Monday night at The Shay.  The visitors clearly did not like the conditions, whereas the home riders had become used to the wet track over the previous weeks, and took full advantage, with only Charlie Monk offering any resistance for the Tigers.  Roper, Boocock and Younghusband all took paid maximums, with Boothroyd dropping his only point to Monk in heat 7.

The 11th victory in a row took Halifax to within a single point of Coventry after a frenetic last 4 races at Owlerton left the hosts wondering how the Dukes had grabbed the win. Dews, Haley and Bales seemed to have the Tigers in a position to steal the win, especially when Bales and Hart levelled the tie in heat 9 when Boothroyd fell and was excluded.  But the Dukes stepped up a gear, and Roper and Boocock gave them a lead in the next race that they would not relinquish.  With Younghusband unbeatable, his wins in heats 11 and 13 ensured a more comfortable win than appeared possible, although Kingston was harshly excluded in heat 11 after being forced into the fence by Haley, with tempers flaring in the pits afterwards.

Halifax made it 12 in a row the following night at Newport in a fixture which had been re-arranged numerous times by the home promotion, to the annoyance of the Dukes. The visitors took an early lead through Boothroyd and Jameson, although the hosts pegged the scores back and things were still level with only 3 races remaining, as the other Dukes failed to back up Boocock.  But, in keeping with the fighting spirit of the second half of the season, Halifax came good when it mattered - 5-1s in heats 11 and 12 put the victory beyond doubt.  Boocock failed to secure his maximum in the final race, his engine failing whilst comfortably leading.

With one eye on Coventry's fixture at Long Eaton, the Dukes had a break from league action, as they comfortably disposed of rivals Belle Vue in the semi final of the Knock-out cup, to put them within reach of silverware.  The tie was effectively over with 2 maximums from the first 2 races, and the Dukes were in no mood to let up, moving 16 points ahead before a brief Aces revival.  But a Boocock/Roper 5-1 in heat 13 ended the tie mathematically, to set up a 2-legged final against Wimbledon Dons.  The night ended sourly however as Bert Kingston broke an ankle in a first bend crash in the final heat, effectively ending his season.

The first of those remaining fixtures saw Halifax comfortably defeat Wolverhampton at The Shay to move back within a point of the Bees.  With Bert Kingston sidelined with his ankle injury, the Dukes called up second-halfer Maury Robinson for his debut, but the Dukes top six were far too powerful for Wolves, who mustered very little after 2 heat wins in the first 2 races.  Boocock and Roper were both unbeaten, with Boothroyd and Younghusband only dropping one point each.  Robinson had the crowd on their feet with a pass of Hemus in heat 4 to score his first point.