REACTION: “It was important for us to have a good performance today, to take some confidence into the final against Leicester. We all rode well today and we enjoyed it.”

WSRA Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales completed their regular National League fixtures with a convincing 55-35 victory over the Edinburgh Monarchs Academy at Oxford Stadium last night (Wednesday).

Chargers were already guaranteed second place in the table and their Grand Final place, alongside Leicester Lion Cubs, heading into this fixture.

A nasty Heat 2 crash relieved both sides of one rider. With Jacob Clouting out in front, team-mate Jason Garrad was hunting down second-placed Mickie Simpson. After switching to the inside, Garrad misjudged his move on the third bend of the final lap and clipped Simpson’s bike and both took an awkward tumble. Neither rider took any further part in the meeting, but Garrad escaped with a few bumps and bruises.

Chargers had taken a huge 57-32 victory up in Scotland in early June, but Monarchs Academy kept them honest last night and it wasn’t until Heat 12 that Chargers – courtesy of Ryan Kinsley and Clouting – recorded a 5-1 for the home side, after Edinburgh’s Jacob Hook was excluded for a fall after trying to round Kinsley on the fourth turn.

But Oxford were in command throughout. Five 4-2s in the opening seven races built up a ten-point lead, while Monarchs Academy didn’t take a single heat advantage all night.

It was a pleasing all-around effort from Chargers. They avoided last places – the only time other than Garrad’s exclusion in Heat 2 that a Charger failed to score was in the concluding Heat 15, when Luke Kileen bustled under the experienced Max Clegg during the race but seemed to shut slightly too early coming off the final bend and was caught by Clegg in a tight finish.

Garrad’s withdrawal meant a busy night for fellow reserve Clouting. Clouting took the opportunity of seven rides with both hands and totted up an impressive 12+3 tally – his best-ever score at NL level.

That was despite a harsh looking 15-metre penalty in Heat 4 for a second warning for moving at the tapes – when it looked highly marginal that he had. From his handicap, Clouting soon made up the ground and passed Mark Parker for third place.

With Jordan Jenkins out with a hand injury, Alfie Bowtell was an able guest and dropped his only point to Hook in Heat 10 to record an 11-point tally.

In the absence of Jenkins, Henry Atkins stood in as Oxford skipper and was involved in some lively racing, including a fine Heat 13 where all four riders were in contention and Atkins relieved old rival Nathan Ablitt of third place during the race. Atkins concluded his evening by winning Heat 15 to finish on a dozen points.

Killeen started with a close fought victory over Hook in Heat 3 and collected 9+1, while both Kinsley (7+1) and Jody Scott (4+2) had solid nights and scored in every race.

Stand-in skipper Henry Atkins said: “We knew it wasn’t a vital fixture today, but we still put in a professional performance and got the job done.

“It was important for us to have a good performance today, to take some confidence into the final against Leicester. We all rode well today and we enjoyed it.

“It was unfortunate that Jason came off in his first heat, but he’s just a bit battered tonight, and he’ll be okay for the final. It was good that Jacob did well – he was struggling at Leicester last weekend, so taking seven riders around his home track and scoring a lot of points will be a major boost to him.

“I tried out a different engine tonight and it felt good. I told Pete (Schroeck, team manager) that I wanted Heat 15, so that I could finish with a victory over the top boys. I made a really good start in that one and it showed that the changes that we made during the night had worked.

“We’re ready for the final against Leicester. When we went there last weekend, we didn’t have much idea of what their track was going to be like and it was a tough night. But now we know what to expect and next time we go there we’ll hit them hard, because we want to win the final.”

While Chargers were defeating the Academy, British Speedway Network (BSN) kindly supplied coverage of the Redcar vs Glasgow match, which was shown in the stadium complex at Oxford last night. Redcar moved into an early eight-point lead, but subsequently suffered a night of injuries and falls and Glasgow came through to win by 51-39.

It means Group B of the Cab Direct Championship all comes down to the visit of Oxford Cheetahs to Glasgow in a re-arranged fixture next Tuesday (October 3). Oxford lead by 50-40 from the first leg and the destination of the aggregate bonus point will be all-important. Cheetahs need a win, a draw or a loss by nine points or less to secure their place in the final against the Poole Pirates.

Bearing in mind that Cheetahs will be up in Scotland on Tuesday, there is not a home meeting scheduled at Oxford Stadium next Wednesday (October 4).

WSRA Oxford Chargers, powered by SD Timmo Car Sales 55: Alfie Bowtell 11, Jody Scott 4+2, Ryan Kinsley 7+1, Luke Killeen 9+1, Henry Atkins 12, Jacob Clouting 12+3, Jason Garrad 0.

Edinburgh Academy 35: Max Clegg 11+1, Alex Spooner R/R, Jacob Hook 12, Kai Ward 1, Nathan Ablitt 7, Mark Parker 2+1, Mickie Simpson 2.

PHOTO: Top-scorer Jacob Clouting and Luke Killen on their way to a 5-1 in Heat 14 (PIC: STEVE EDMUNDS)