REPORT: Cheetahs build up ten-point advantage in Cup semi-final

MONARCH Oxford Cheetahs will need to score at least 41 points at Redcar tomorrow evening (Friday) to progress to their first Knockout Cup final in 27 years, after a 50-40 victory over Bears in the first leg of the Cab Direct Knockout Cup semi-final at Oxford Stadium last night (Wednesday).

Redcar Bears made it tricky, and Cheetahs built up a ten-point lead thanks to the heroics of two 17-year-olds, Ashton Boughen and Jody Scott. Boughen dropped just a single point and scored 10+1 in his most impressive outing at Cab Direct Championship level, while Scott won his first-ever race at this level, after Oxford skipper Scott Nicholls team-rode him to a 5-1 in Heat 7.

A big blow for Cheetahs last night was Jordan Jenkins crashing out of the meeting in Heat 14 with a scaphoid injury. Jenkins was chasing the Redcar pair of Jason Edwards and Jake Mulford when he lifted on the exit of the fourth bend, bounced off the air fence at speed and landed hard on the track in a nasty-looking incident.

Jenkins was visiting the hospital for X-rays this morning for an assessment to his injury. With six of the other nine teams already in action, Cheetahs are planning to use rider replacement for Jenkins in the second leg at Redcar.

Bears also have an injury worry, after Danny King sustained a foot injury in Heat 13, and did not appear in the concluding Heat 15.

Bears held Cheetahs early on, at 15-15 after five races, despite a 5-1 for Jenkins and Boughen in Heat 3, after Boughen flew around Edwards after a lap.

Sam Masters and Cameron Heeps took a 4-2 in Heat 6, before Cheetahs moved six ahead with the 5-1 from Scott and Nicholls in Heat 7 that brought the house down.

Redcar hit back with a 4-2 in Heat 8, but Boughen flew around the outside on the second bend in Heat 9 and the experienced King could not catch him. Meanwhile, Jenkins fought to third place as Cheetahs took a 4-2.

Cheetahs moved ten ahead, after Masters and Heeps took a 5-1 in Heat 10, while Nicholls flew around both Chares Wright and Dan Gilkes in the early stages to win Heat 11 and Boughen concluded a great night’s work by fending off the Redcar pair to take Heat 12.

Heat 13 had to be run three times. King was excluded for a fall while fourth, and then Wright fell on his own on the first bend in the re-run, but was allowed back in the second re-run, where Nicholls and Masters took a 5-1 to move Cheetahs 14 points clear.

After Jenkins crashed out, Luke Killeen could not prevent Bears taking a 5-1 in Heat 14. In Heat 15, Wright produced a burst of speed to move in between Masters and Nicholls off the second bend to leave Bears ten points behind and leave them with some hope going into the second leg at Redcar.

Cheetahs last reached a Knockout Cup final in 1997, also at second tier level, when they lost to Edinburgh Monarchs in the Premier League Knockout Cup final.

The last time Cheetahs won the cup outright was in 1985, at top-flight level, when they defeated Ipswich by 79-76 in a highly memorable final, with legendary Dane Hans Nielsen scoring a maximum in both legs for Oxford. Cheetahs also shared the silverware with Cradley Heath in 1986, after the home leg at Cowley was twice rained off and the home leg was not completed.

Ashton Boughen said: “I felt I had a good set-up tonight and had plenty of speed. I think I’ve found something with my starts at Oxford as well. I was happy with my meeting.

“I enjoy riding at Redcar. I always try my best and I’ll go there and do the same and I hope I can help to team through to the final. It will a blow if we’re without Jordan, but we can still do it.

“I feel I’m improving all around at the moment. I beat some very good riders in a testimonial meeting at Poole on Sunday. I’ve shown I can do it anywhere at any track. It’s hard riding at No 3, but I feel I’m improving all the time and I’m also enjoying my riding.”

The next action at Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (September 11) at 7.30pm when Cheetahs face Scunthorpe Scorpions in the first leg of the Cab Direct Championship play-off semi-final.

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

Admission is available at the early bird price of £20 for all adults, which increases to £22 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. The first thousand adult tickets sold get a free drink (Drink options: Pint, small glass of wine, draught or soft drink).

Monarch Oxford Cheetahs 50: Sam Masters 12+1, Cameron Heeps 5+1, Ashton Boughen 10+1, Jordan Jenkins 5+1, Scott Nicholls 11+2, Luke Killeen 3, Jody Scott 4+1.

Redcar Bears 40: Charles Wright 12, Dan Gilkes 5+1, Jye Etheridge 4, Jason Edwards 3+1, Danny King 7, Ben Trigger 0, Jake Mulford 9+1.

PHOTO: Ashton Boughen Jason Edwards and Jordan Jenkins in Heat 3. Boughen and Jenkins took a 5-1 for Cheetahs (pic: Steve Edmunds)