Hethersett Hawks/Swinton fielded their strongest cycle speedway team, on paper, for many a year against South-East League champions Great Blakenham. It was the 43rd anniversary of the first match at the Memorial Playing Field,The visitors had the better of early heats before a rousing 7-3 by Nick Myhill and Phil Adams brought the sides level.

Hethersett Hawks/Swinton fielded their strongest cycle speedway team, on paper, for many a year against South-East League champions Great Blakenham.

It was the 43rd anniversary of the first match at the Memorial Playing Field,

The visitors had the better of early heats before a rousing 7-3 by Nick Myhill and Phil Adams brought the sides level.

Phil Adams fell when well-placed to give Blakenham a slender two-point lead at the break but there was more bad luck to follow when David Adams fell in the next heat and impeded his partner only to be followed immediately by snapped handlebars and a nasty fall for Phil Howellls.

An 11-point deficit against such a strong tactical side was too much of a challenge although a 7-2 from Simon Wilcox and the brilliant Nick Myhill restored the Hawks pride.

Scores: Hethersett 83, Great Blakenham 95 (N Myhill 18, P Howells 15, J Abbott 11, D Martin 11, S Wilcox 8, B Collins 7, P Adams 7, D Adams 4, Dan Chambers 2).

Blakenham tracked two restricted riders in the Division Two match so gave the Hawks B team a 30-point advantage. Hethersett did not make the best of the opportunity and failed to score any points off the two next best Blakenham riders.

Dave Adams rode particularly well with some excellent teamwork and the Adams brothers did score one 7-3. They came out together in the last race needing a win to save the match and sheer determination saw them both pass the experienced Jason Ashford but his partner was away to secure a narrow victory - the first Hethersett loss at this level for two years.

Scores: Hethersett B 94, Great Blakenham B 96 (P Adams 17, D Adams 11, C Grimes 11, Dan Chambers 10, H Hamill 8, S Grimes 7.

This Saturday Hethersett riders travel to Ipswich for the second round of the Wosskow Brown British Youth and Junior League and on Sunday stage the first leg of the South-East U14 and U10 Leagues at the Memorial Playing Field (1pm).

Next Wednesday Hethersett stage the prestigious Norfolk Senior Championship, an event that has been staged annually since the 1950s (7pm).