Kelly eyes return to enjoying sport
“I just want to go out and enjoy myself and maybe shake a few people up,” says local hope Elliot Kelly ahead of tonight’s prestigious British Under-19 Championship Final at Redcar, 7,30pm.
Kelly, from Eaglescliffe, who turned 18 in January, is one of 16 teenagers contesting the crown won for the last three years, including 2019 - the only previous time it has been held at the South Tees Motorsports Park by now-over-the-age-limit Drew Kemp.
The Teesside teenager scored six in both of the past two finals at Scunthorpe and, having opted to take time out of the sport earlier this year, admits he goes in a little under-cooked:
“I came away from a meeting thinking that I didn’t really enjoy it and felt a few months away might rekindle my love for the sport,” recalls Kelly.
That’s exactly what happened and around a month ago he made a conscious decision to return with struggling Armadale, near Edinburgh, in the National Development League.
“I’m definitely a bit rusty and must have been on my backside more than on the bike recently,” he reflects, after just three matches and a couple of practices session for the Scottish side.
“If I come away from Redcar smiling I’ll be pretty happy even the youngest in the field (some barely 15) are really flying but that’s all they do - few of them work.”
Kelly has learnt a trade as a car mechanic at Ron Turnbull Garages in Snowdon Road, Middlesbrough but, with huge help and encouragement from his grandfather Ed Sturman, from nearby Yarm, he was also carving out a promising racing career before the break.
Now, keen as mustard to get back to the minor sensation he proved to be after signing for Mildenhall while still at school back in 2019, he looks at tonight’s field and predicts:
“Providing he’s fit and rides you can’t look past Leon Flint he’s in a different world at the moment.”
Flint has been riding in both of the UK’s top flight leagues the Premiership for Wolverhampton and Championship for home-town club Berwick as well as Poland and was due to contest the European Under-19 Pairs title with Martin Hagon another of tonight’s aspirants in Riga last weekend.
But a big crash at Glasgow on Friday left him with sciatic nerve damage and pain in his leg and lower back, which caused him to miss the Latvian trip and cast a doubt over his participation in a British Championship where he has finished third and fourth previously.
Flint insisted he would take his place when interviewed on the centre green during Redcar’s thumping 56-34 KO Cup triumph at Berwick last Saturday and, even a partially fit Bandits rider would still be most people’s pick for the top step of the rostrum, after defeating the international quality Bears’ heat-leaders Erik Riss and Lewis Kerr in successive races on the same Teesside stage less than a fortnight ago.
The absence of top National Development League riders Dan Thompson and Dan Gilkes through injury, plus highlyrated East Yorkshire teenager Jordan Palin, increases the chances of Flint, Dan’s twin brother and fellow Leicester rider Joe Thompson and the McGurk brothers Harry and Sam (both Belle Vue Colts), each of whom have savoured many laps of the Redcar raceway through practices and Northern Junior League fixtures.
The Bears management are encouraging a bumper crowd to watch the ‘stars of tomorrow’ by reducing admission prices to just £10 for adults and £1 for children.
CHRIS Wilder has backed Riley McGree to be a “big performer” for Middlesbrough this season - whether that’s in midfield or as a No.10.
McGree made his name in the middle of the park but has been used in a more advanced role for Boro in the summer friendlies, playing as a No.10 in support of a lone striker.
With strikers set to arrive in the coming weeks as Wilder looks to bolster his forward line, the boss might well opt for an orthodox front two when the Championship campaign gets under way, but he’s seen enough of McGree in that No.10 role to know that the Australian international can be a real threat in a more advanced position.
McGree signed in January, to the delight of Wilder, but had something of a stop-start first half season at the club for a variety of reasons.
Now, though, with a full pre-season behind him, Wilder believes Boro are going to see the very best of the 23-year-old.
Wilder said: “We knew he could play ten. Last year we had the boys that we had in and it was stop start for Riley.
“Going away, coming back late and then getting him up to speed.
He had an issue with his calf but you’ve seen the impact of a good pre-season. He’s going to be a big performer at the top of the pitch this year.
“He can play in that position that he’s played last year. Tav can play there.
“He’s just one of those players that you ask him to do a job and he will do it to the best of his ability
but he’s a good player and we’re expecting him to kick on this year.”
McGree impressed in the midweek win at Morecambe and has already established a good understanding with summer signing Ryan Giles down the left side.
Wilder said: “I think he is an exciting player. He’s got in the box and had two or three shots, he links play, he’s bright and intelligent, he’s got good athleticism and he was the type of player that we wanted to attract. We’ve done that.
“We’ve attracted Riley and Giles. The modern day game is mobility, speed, distances covered. You’ve got to be an athlete and be able to run and Riley can run and play. That is the characteristics we need this
season.”