REPORT: Cheetahs certain of play-offs after seeing off champions

MONARCH Oxford Cheetahs closed in further on league leaders Poole Pirates with a comfortable 55-35 victory over reigning champions Glasgow Tigers in the Cab Direct Championship at Oxford Stadium last night (Wednesday).

Victory made sure of Oxford’s place in the all-important end-of-season play-offs, which will determine the league champions. Second-placed Cheetahs are now just three points behind Poole, with a match in hand. Both clubs have finished their regular home fixtures. Cheetahs have aways trips to Glasgow, Scunthorpe and Plymouth still remaining.

The result leaves Glasgow needing to win all three of their remaining meetings to qualify for the play-offs, to be able to defend their title.

Oxford defeated Glasgow, despite the in-form Luke Kileen crashing out of the meeting in Heat 8. Killeen was the early leader, when Glasgow’s James Pearson lost control on the fourth turn and speared into Killeen, with Cameron Heeps also coming down in the resulting melee.

Killeen, who remained fully conscious throughout, was taken to hospital for precautionary checks on his neck. The initial news coming from the hospital was positive. With Killeen avoiding concussion, he could return sooner rather than later.

Cheetahs led throughout from Heat 1 and took full charge of the meeting with a 5-1 from Sam Masters and Heeps in Heat 6, after Heeps rounded Leon Flint for second place.

Skipper Scott Nicholls flew inside Anders Rowe on the third bend of the final lap of Heat 7. Rowe cut back to the inside and Nicholls just held on in a tight finish, as Cheetahs pulled further ahead with a 4-2.

Heeps overtook Jack Smith to win the re-run of Heat 8, after Killeen’s injury and Pearson’s exclusion, but Tigers introduced Chris Harris into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute and took a 5-1 to close the gap to eight points.

Heeps fended off Rowe in Heat 10 to join Masters for a second 5-1, and then Nicholls and guest Connor Coles took a 4-2 in Heat 11, after Coles held off Pearson for all four laps to take third.

Appropriately Ashton Boughen – celebrating his 17th birthday – clinched victory by defeating Rowe in Heat 12.

Masters fended off Harris to win Heat 13, while the previously unbeaten Nicholls finished last, after a last-gap move on Flint just failed in a photo-finish.

Jordan Jenkins flew from third to first to win Heat 14, while Coles produced a great ride to fend off Pearson and gain a 5-1 to Cheetahs. Coles – busy after the withdrawal of Killeen – scored 7+2 from seven rides and was deservedly chosen as Rider Of The Night.

Masters completed a brilliant 15-point full maximum by winning Heat 15, while Cheetahs took a 4-2 after a valiant effort by Heeps in a battle for second place with Harris.

Maximum man Sam Masters said: “You turn up to win every race and tonight I did that. It was good to beat Chris Harris three times tonight – Bomber can pass you from anywhere, but I had him covered.  

“But more importantly we had a good win over a strong Glasgow team. It was a good performance not just from me but the whole team and it’s a good score to take up there on Friday.

“Luke went a long way to winning us the meeting at Poole last week. When he got hurt, I thought ‘this could be tough now’, but we kept on going and got a good victory. We won it for Luke tonight and I hope he’s okay and he’s back for us soon.

“We want to keep on pushing for the rest of the year. We get on well and enjoy ourselves during meetings and wins come when everyone’s happy. We’re not thinking too much about it – we’re just going to keep on enjoying on doing what we’re doing.”

The next action at Cowley is this Sunday (August 25) when defending champions Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales face league leaders Leicester Lion Cubs in what promises to be a pulsating meeting in the WSRA National League.

Tickets are on already on sale at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Monarch Oxford Cheetahs 55: Sam Masters 15 (full maximum), Cameron Heeps 9+2, Ashton Boughen 6+1, Jordan Jenkins 7+1, Scott Nicholls 9, Luke Killeen 2, Connor Coles 7+2.

Glasgow Tigers 35: Chris Harris 14, Jack Smith 2, Anders Rowe 8, Matic Ivacic 0, Leon Flint 6+2, James Pearson 5+1, Tom Spencer 0.