REPORT: Chargers take fine victory at Middlesbrough
DEFENDING champions Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales closed to just one point behind league leaders Leicester in the WSRA National League table with a 49-41 away victory against the Middlesbrough Tigers on Teesside last night (Friday).
With both Jody Scott and Ashton Vale still recovering from injuries and Jason Garrad riding in the Cab Direct Championship at Glasgow, it was a slightly unusual-looking Chargers’ line-up with three guests in the shape of William Cairns, Matt Marson and Max Perry.
It was nip-and-tuck in the opening stages. Luke Killeen and Alex Spooner took a 5-1 in Heat 1, after Tigers’ No 1 Jake Mulford fell after a classy pass by Killeen. But Middlesbrough then levelled with a couple of 4-2s and then the scores were deadlocked until Cairns and Marson took a 4-2 in Heat 7, with Cairns rounding Championship rider Ben Trigger and leaving him in his wake.
Spooner picked up an unusual exclusion in Heat 8, after he exceeded the two minutes due to the wrong helmet colour. But Jacob Clouting took his place and joined fellow Chargers’ reserve Senna Summers for a 5-1.
Chargers looked set to post another 5-1 in Heat 9, but race-leader Perry reared and fell. Clouting, leading at the time of the stoppage, missed the gate in the re-run, but passed Middlesbrough heat-leader Danny Phillips for second place.
Chargers then pulled out a 10-point lead with three successive 4-2s, with Killeen winning a battle against Trigger in Heat 11 and Marson fighting through against Phillips in Heat 12.
Mulford stopped Killeen’s maximum in Heat 13, but Killeen’s second place took Chargers near the winning post, and Cairns secured victory with a win in Heat 14.
15-year-old Cairns completed a fine display in Heat 15, when he burst past Mulford and Trigger to win the race in exciting style.
Cairns top-scored with 14 points, dropping his only point to Danny Phillips in Heat 3, after a slow start to that race. Killeen also dropped just one point on 11, while Spooner – still working his way back to fitness after 13 months out with a collarbone injury – scored some key points and posted 3+1.
Chargers’ trump cards were at reserve. Clouting recovered from a pointless Heat 2 when he was penalised 15 metres for nudging the tapes to register 7+1, and looked fast on the outside line. The still very inexperienced Summers rode very solidly and scored 5+2, his best away tally for Chargers.
Senna Summers said: “I had a good night. I felt comfortable on the bike. I plugged away tonight and made it work. It was good for my confidence.
“In Heat 8, once Jacob came past, I thought I just need a smooth ride now. Smooth ride, smooth laps, and we took the 5-1.
“We’re not put any under pressure. It’s just laps and we’re progressing. It will come to how I want it, while it is enjoyable riding for the Chargers.
“The whole speedway game is new to me but I’m enjoying it. I live with Jamie (Courtney, Oxford promoter) – that’s good too. They’re like family to me now.”
The next action at Oxford Stadium sees OXS Oxford Spires host the Birmingham Brummies on Thursday (August 1) in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tickets are already on sale at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
Middlesbrough Tigers 41: Jake Mulford 10, Kai Ward 1, Danny Phillips 8, Jamie Halder 6+2, Ben Trigger 9+1, Ben Rathbone 3, William Hocaniuk 4.
Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales 49: Luke Killeen 11, Alex Spooner 3+1, Matt Marson 5, William Cairns 14, Max Perry 4, Jacob Clouting 7+1, Senna Summers 5+2.
PHOTO: Senna Summers (pic: Steve Edmunds)