Heat by Heat Results - June 1969

The Dukes stunned the Glasgow Tigers at the start of June, becoming the first visiting side to win at Hampden Park, since the Tigers move during the winter.  Halifax took the lead with a heat one 5-1, and never looked back, with Gavros, Kentwell and Younghusband all winning 2 races. Jim McMIllan was unbeaten for the hosts, but Halifax ensured the points in the other races to keep in the lead, and heat advantage from Younghusband and Kentwell in heat 12 meant the Tigers needed a 5-1 in the final heat to draw.  But Boocock and Jay filled in the minor places behind McMillan to seal victory.

The Dukes overcame an early scare to overcome a dogged Wolves side in the Knock-out Cup.  With Gavros suffering from electrical problems, and Younghusband again suffering from tonsilitis, it was left to Boocock to drag the Dukes back into the tie, having slipped 8 behind after 7 heats.  Two successive 5-1s levelled the match up, before heat advantages in heats 11 and 13 saw Halifax through to the next round.

Halifax returned to league action minus Younghusband against Swindon Robins, and ran out comfortable winners, despite promoting Terry Lee into the side rather than using a guest or rider replacement.  Boocock and Kentwell were both unbeaten, and received valuable support from Sharpe, Jay and a returning-to-form Gavros.  For the Robins, Briggs was hampered by mechanical issues, but received little support from his team-mates.  The win lifted the Dukes up to second in the table, a mere point behind leaders Belle Vue...with a trip to the Aces next up...

The Dukes hopes of topping the table were sent crashing as they were completely out-classed by the dominant Aces in the wet.  Les Sharpe won heat 2 to level the scores, but from then on it was a completely one-sided affair, as Belle Vue slammed in 7 heat advantages and 4 shared heats in the remaining 11 races.  Mauger, Roper and Sjosten were all easily unbeaten, and with Boocock suffering with mechanical problems, the result was never in doubt.  Greg Kentwell tried his best to keep the scores close, but even he was powerless to stop the inevitable.  Kentwell was also beaten by Mauger in the Silver Sash.

In a break from league action, Halifax hosted the 4th Test Match against a strong Swedish side.  With the series already 3-0 to Great Britain, the proceedings felt slightly under-whelming, but the home side added to their lead with a second half display after a close contest.  Dukes' star Eric Boocock top-scored for the hosts, and Greg Kentwell was given 3 rides from the reserve berth, ending up with a paid-maximum!

Halifax made the long trip to Exeter still minus Dave Younghusband, and were also left short when Les Sharpe withdrew suffering from the effects of hay-fever.  As such, it was left to Eric Boocock, with minor support from Dennis Gavros to keep the Dukes in contention.  The Falcons broke into a 6 point lead after 7 heats, and the Dukes' lack of depth meant they were never likely to claw the deficit back, with Boocock's only defeat of the night to Squibb sealing the result.

Eric Boocock continued his impressive form as he eased to victory in the 1969 Dairy Festival.  Having beaten Haley in his first ride, the Dukes number one reeled off a further 3 wins, meaning that a second place in heat 17 would secure him the trophy.  Haley and the impressive Olsen made up the rostrum, but it was a night of struggles for the other Dukes, with Alan Jay suffering a badly gashed leg in a heat 14 spill, and Les Sharpe suffering from mechanical issues in addition to his ongoing hay-fever.