REPORT: Cheetahs send out message to Scorpions ahead of play-offs

WITH Jordan Jenkins at the forefront, Monarch Oxford Cheetahs secured second place in the Cab Direct Championship table, after they took Scunthorpe Scorpions all the way to a last-heat decider before being edged out by 43-47 in a Cab Direct Championship encounter at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway in North Lincolnshire last night (Friday).

In the following National League encounter, Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales wrapped up their fixtures with a 50-39 victory over the Scunthorpe Stags.

Having defeated Scorpions by 55-34 at Cowley in June, Cheetahs comfortably won the aggregate bonus point by 98-81 against the team they will face again in the play-off semi-finals, where the aggregate winners will progress to the final.

Last night saw many of the matters resolved at the top end of the Cab Direct Championship. Poole’s victory at Edinburgh combined with the result at Scunthorpe means that Poole finish top, Oxford second and Scunthorpe third. Workington are favourites to finish in the fourth and final play-off position, but could still be pipped at the post by defending champions Glasgow.

Cheetahs represented the best visitors to the Eddie Wright Raceway this season, surpassing Poole’s total of 42.

Scorpions flew into a 19-11 lead after five races, after a couple of 5-1s in Heats 2 and 5. Jordan Jenkins had been an impressive winner of Heat 3, and – wasting no time – Oxford team manager Peter Schroeck placed Jenkins into Heat 6 as a tactical substitute alongside skipper Scott Nicholls. The two Cheetahs led all the way for a 5-1.

Jenkins also won Heat 7, as he and Ashton Boughen pegged back a 4-2 to close the gap further to two points.

Cameron Heeps won both Heat 8 and 11, but Scorpions moved back into a six-point lead. In a very tight finish, Sam Masters seemed to grab third place on the line from Nathan Ablitt in Heat 11, but the referee gave the verdict to Ablitt.

Boughen had commenced his evening with a two-minute exclusion in Heat 3, but completed the meeting with a fantastic victory in Heat 12, making the most of the hugely advantageous gate 4.

Nicholls and Masters led early on in Heat 13, but Kyle Howarth passed Masters early on for second place.

Luke Killeen had his best race of the evening in Heat 14. Both he and Jenkins challenged Jake Allen, but Allen stuck to the outside line and it paid off as he won the race.

With Scorpions four points ahead, Allen got out in front of Heat 15. All four riders were close track out on track, with both Nicholls (inside) and Heeps (outside) challenging Allen, but the Scorpion held on to complete a 47-43 victory for the home side.

Jenkins top-scored for Cheetahs with 13 points, while Nicholls scored 11+2 and Heeps 9. Cheetahs provided nine of the 15 race winners.

Jordan Jenkins said: “It’s a track that you dread coming to and I don’t really enjoy visiting. But we went into the meeting with a positive mind-set of showing Scunthorpe what we can do around here and we did that. It puts us in a good frame of mind ready for when we face them here again in the play-offs.

“Scunthorpe do have a massive home track advantage, but we’ve already shown we can beat them well around Oxford and we’ll work hard to try to repeat that.

“I’m really happy to score 13 points, including winning my first three races. The track changed a bit, and maybe I didn’t change my set-up enough, but I’m really happy with my night.

“There is a lot of spirit within the Cheetahs. We’ve got a combination of experience in Scott, Sam and Cam, along with a lot of good young riders. I’m starting to find my feet more-and-more as the season goes along.

“I was speaking to Ashton before his last one, and he made a big change to his set-up and it paid off. Luke was also getting the hang of the track by the end and it all bodes well for when we come back here and our boys are on the money from Heat 1.”

The next action at Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (September 4) at 7.30pm when Cheetahs face Redcar Bears in the first leg of the Cab Direct Knockout Cup semi-final. Tickets are on sale at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

In the meantime, Cheetahs travel to Plymouth tonight (Saturday) with an unchanged line-up.

Scunthorpe Scorpions 47: Michael Palm Toft 4+1, Connor Mountain 6, Simon Lambert 7+3, Jake Allen 12, Kyle Howarth 6, Nathan Ablitt 5+2, Luke Harrison 7+2.

Monarch Oxford Cheetahs 43: Sam Masters 4, Cameron Heeps 9, Ashton Boughen 4, Jordan Jenkins 13, Scott Nicholls 11+2, Luke Killeen 2+1, Jody Scott 0.

PHOTO: The Oxford camp at Scunthorpe yesterday (pic: Ian Rispin)