Heat by Heat Results - October 1975

A busy final month of the season finally got underway with the first leg of the Inter-League cup final against Belle Vue.  But needing a big lead to take to Manchester, the Dukes hopes took a severe dent when Collins and Morton combined for a 5-1 in heat 9 over Plant and Cartwright, to draw them back to 2 behind.  The task appeared futile from then on, and an engine failure for Plant in heat 12 put the Aces into the lead on the night, with Sjosten confirming the win in the final race.  Pusey and France tried their hardest to give Halifax hope, but with Plant having issues all night, and both Kroeze and Monk also stopping, they had little chance.

Following the defeat in the first leg of the final against Belle Vue, the end of the season clearly could not come quickly enough.  A depleted Dukes were destroyed at Champions-elect Ipswich, with only efforts from Pusey and Cartwright preventing a record defeat.  Rick France failed to arrive and Graham Plant had no machinery available, so Halifax had to borrow local junior Dave Gooderham.  With Monk and Kroeze failing to score a point, the Dukes gave up nine 5-1s to the rampant Witches, for whom Sanders and Louis were comfortably unbeaten.  The defeat equalled the Dukes record loss, suffered at Reading 2 seasons earlier.

Ipswich virtually made sure of the league title, with a dominant win over the Dukes at the Shay.  Halifax were almost back to full strength, with Rick France and Chris Pusey showing their class, but with Plant still struggling to keep the bike going for four laps, the Dukes slipped behind, and with the Witches strength in depth, the outcome was inevitable, with World number three Louis unbeaten.  The Dukes were now down to 9th in the table, little over 2 months after leading the race...

Halifax travelled to Manchester for the second leg of the Inter-League cup final needing an unlikely miracle.  But there was no happy ending, as the Aces took the trophy with ease.  Soren Sjosten was unbeaten, and the Aces could celebrate as he crossed the line to win heat 10.  With Morton and Collins also unbeaten by a Duke, the outcome was inevitable.  Charlie Monk registered the only heat win for the Dukes in heat 8, as everyone struggled to stay on terms with the powerful Aces.  And Halifax still had to return to Hyde Road for the league fixture before the season-end.

Halifax ended their 1975 campaign with back-to-back meetings against Belle Vue on the same day!  The afternoon meeting at Hyde Road went the way of the Aces, but after the previous week's collapse in the cup final, this was a much-improved effort from the Dukes, as they eventually went down by 6 points in a last-heat decider.  Henny Kroeze was the star, with 13 points as Halifax incredibly led after 6 heats, with the Aces deflated after losing the title to Ipswich. But no other Duke could manage a heat win, and that proved the difference.  All back to the Shay for the return fixture...

...which the Dukes also lost.  This was typical end of season stuff, with Rick France appearing lacklustre, and Graham Plant's recent mechanical issues continuing.  Peter Collins continued his end of season form, and his liking for the Halifax track, with an easy maximum, with the support from Sjosten and Morton ultimately enough to see them home, Collins 5-1 with Tyrer over Kroeze and France in heat 12 sealing the win.  The defeat completed the Dukes season, which had promised so much and almost delivered, as they ended in 10th place in the league.