Heat by Heat Results - May 1969

The Dukes moved into May with a comfortable defeat of Glasgow Tigers, which moved them up to 3rd in the league table.  Five heat advantages in the first 8 races effectively sealed the win, with Boocock and Younghusband in a different class.  They received solid support, especially from Gavros and Kentwell, with a heat 2 crash for Sharpe being the only negative.  The race of the night was in heat 3, with both Jay and Kentwell left at the start, only for both to pass their opponents for a 5-1.  Charlie Monk continued his good form around the Shay for the Tigers, and received backing from Jimmy McMillan, but the result was never in doubt.

Struggling Newcastle were sent packing from the Shay in a completely one-sided tie.  The Diamonds cause was not helped by a heavy heat one crash involving top rider Olsen and guest McKinlay, with both riders unable to take any further part in proceedings.  The Dukes took full advantage to match the 58 point haul they scored against Oxford only 3 weeks earlier, with Kentwell, Boocock and Younghusband all unbeaten by an opponent.  Alan Jay and Dennis Gavros were also in the points, as the tie was settled as early as heat 8.

Halifax were defeated for once away at Cradley, where the Dukes lacked any back-up to Eric Boocock.  With Gavros unavailable, Terry Lee stepped in at reserve, but with Sharpe and Jameson struggling, the Dukes were always in trouble.  Boocock started in the right fashion by reducing the track record by over a second, but thereafter, Halifax could only provide the race winner on 3 other occasions, with a sole heat advantage in heat 11, with the match already lost.  Kentwell sustained a knee injury in an awkward fall in the first attempt to run heat 12.

Eric Boocock underlined his status as England's leading rider with a dominant 15 point maximum in the Halifax World Championship round.  It was a good evening all round for the Dukes, with Younghusband, Kentwell, Gavros and Jameson all in the points, and with Terry Lee and Ian Bottomley promoted into the line-up.  The meeting was marred by a nasty crash in heat 10, when Oxford's Leo McAuliffe suffered head and facial injuries.

The Dukes got back to league action with a comprehensive win over King's Lynn, with Boocock and Kentwell easing to maximums, with Younghusband dropping a single point to Malcolm SImmons.  The meeting was fortunate to take place following heavy rain, but the riders made light work of the conditions, with no falls.  Kentwell's maximum was all the more impressive after it was revealed he was riding with torn knee ligaments following his Cradley crash the previous week.  The only negative was Gavros who continued to have mechanical issues.

The Dukes slipped to a 10 point defeat on the road at Hackney.  On a slick track, Eric Boocock romped to a 15 point maximum, as the rest of the Dukes struggled to cope with the conditions, with Gavros, Jameson, Kentwell and Sharpe contributing a mere 3 points between them, Kentwell clearly struggling with his knee injury.  Despite the score-line, the racing was close throughout, with Halifax still in contention after 7 races, but the lack of support for Boocock was to prove critical.

The Dukes hit the 58 point mark ffor the 3rd time in 1969 with a crushing defeat of a poor Newport Wasps side.  With every race, bar a heat eight 3-3, being a Dukes advantage, the match was over as early as heat nine.  Kentwell, Boocock and Younghusband were proving almost unbeatable around the Shay, and received solid support from the rest of the team, with Bob Jameson having his best score of the season. Halifax finished May 3rd in the table a point behind Belle Vue.