INTERNATIONAL road racer Bill Swallow provided a real test as Huddersfield Falcon MCC staged round five of their novices and beginners trial series at Nethermoor Farm.

Swallow masterminded the course at South Crosland and said the venue required two main ingredients.

“I tried to get the sections lined and marked so that throttle and brakes skill was the key to low scores,” said Swallow.

There was no element of crash and bash as outright winner Neil Savage demonstrated with a single mark score on section two of lap two.

And a road racer setting the course paid off for a former champion of the track in the novice section.

Twice British Superbikes champion and World Superbikes racer James Whitham, now a regular television commentator, was out on his Sherco and proved he still has what it takes to be a winner, scoring 16 points to win by 15 points from John Davy.

And Whitham’s efforts earned praise from Swallow, who commented: “He was not gung-ho – he thought it all out.”

While Neil Savage was getting round almost clean, his daughter Megan was running second in Class B easy course and almost wiped the smile off Nigel Greenwood’s face.

The star ride in the easy course contenders was delivered by Aaron Goodlad, who is making waves on the Yorkshire Centre trials scene this year.

Huddersfield Falcon will run again on Sunday, November 18 at Horn Hill when the sixth round in the novice and beginners series takes place.

Results – Hard course: Novices: Ashley Ashworth (Gas Gas) 23, Ian Blackburn 24. (All Gas Gas); Over 40s: Neil Savage (Gas Gas) 1, Chris Tolson (Beta) 25, Ian Haigh (Beta) 26; Twin Shock: Nicky Eagleton (Majesty) 35; Youth Class A: Ben Francis (Gas Gas) 42; Youth Class C: William Tolson (Beta) 36.

50/50 course: Novices: Tom Tunstall (Beta) 42, Andrew Robinson (Gas Gas) 46, David Hirst (Beta) 49; Over 40s: Oliver Twigg (Gas Gas) 45, David Morley (Beta) 49, Stephen Partlow (Beta) 71.

Easy course: Novices: James Whitham (Sherco) 16, John Davy (Gas Gas) 31, Zach Johnson (Beta) 57; Over 40s: Ian Roper (Montesa) 27, Paul Berry (Sherco) 41, Martin Ingram (Gas Gas) 45; Twin Shock: Nigel Greenwood (Honda) 39; Pre-65: Brian Cooper (Triumph) 23; Beginners: Rob Pollard (Sherco) 54, Paul Baumforth (Gas Gas) 104; Youth Class B: Aaron Goodlad (Gas Gas) 14, Megan Savage (Beta) 40.

White route: Beginners: Paul Moxon (Montesa) 29, Mick Crick (Gas Gas) 32,John McDermott (Gas Gas) 38; Youth ClassB: Bradley Cook-Taylor (Gas Gas) 35; Youth Class C: Max Fletcher (Beta) 52.