GIN Pit was the venue for the Preliminary Round of the British Team Cup, cycle speedway's equivalent of the FA Cup, on Sunday.

Having lost heavily at Sheffield the previous Sunday, Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare-CTA Direct Cycle Speedway team were under no illusions that they faced a tough task against Sheffield.

However, A & T welcomed back skipper Damien Hack and drafted in British Ladies Tandem racing champions, the Airstone sisters, for their team debut.

The result was a much more positive performance from A & T. Hack won three of his five races, dropping just two points, with the Airstones weighing in with vital points.

A & T's youngsters all performed well, with Rob Longworth, Becky Heslop, Chris Heslop and John Nuttall all beating Sheffield's youngsters and making valuable contributions to the team score.

Although Sheffield ran out 100-80 winners, A & T more than made sure that they were kept in a match on a track made heavy by torrential rain prior to the start.

A & T staged the opening round of the Manchester League Senior Grand Prix series on Wednesday. There was a low turn-out on a dry and dusty track. Bury's Neil Howarth took the honours, unbeaten in his four races, to finish on 16 points.

A & T scorers were: Mike Hack 13, Damien Hack 11, Rob Longworth 10, John Nuttall 8.

Astley & Tyldesley take on Leicester 'B' in a Midlands-North League Division Two match at Gin Pit on Saturday. First race is at 2pm. Spectators are always welcome at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, Meanley Road, Gin Pit, Astley.