REPORT: Spires impressive at Leicester

BETGOODWIN Oxford Spires gave high-flying Leicester Lions a run for their money in the East Midlands last night (Monday), before Lions won the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership encounter by 50-40.

Leicester are a team in form, who moved up to second place with this victory, while Lions clinched the Premiership Knockout Cup with a crushing 60-30 home victory over King’s Lynn Stars the previous week.

Spires gave them a much harder battle, despite falling ten points behind after the first eight races.

Rohan Tungate, returning from a shoulder injury, suffered an engine failure while second in Heat 8, and just beat the two-minute clock in Heat 9. But he flew out of the gate to beat Ryan Douglas, while Peter Kildemand overtook Steve Worrall as Spires pegged back a 4-2.

Maciej Janowski charged around the outside on the opening lap of Heat 10 to defeat both Grand Prix rider Max Fricke and Douglas. Janowski had previously beaten Fricke in Heat 1, but missed out on winning that race, when Sam Masters overtook him on the final lap.

Lions clinched victory on the night with a 4-2 in Heat 13, despite Wright finishing second to ruin the maximum hopes of Masters.

With the aggregate bonus point still to be decided at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on September 4, both tactical substitute Kildemand and Mitch McDiarmid overtook Worrall in Heat 14 as Spires pegged back a 5-1 to reduce the deficit to six points. Lions hit back with a 5-1 of their own in Heat 15 to end the night with a ten-point victory.

Janowski collected 10 points, while Kildemand scored 9+3 from reserve. Every Spire scored points, while Rising Star Luke Killeen twice defeated his Leicester counterpart Joe Thompson in Heats 4 and 8.

17-year-old Mitch McDiarmid finished the evening on 6+1, including winning his first-ever race in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership in Heat 14.

McDiarmid said: “I was able to get some good points on the board tonight. It was the first-time I’ve raced here and it went well.

“We were a bit stressed at the start of the night. We got caught up in traffic and arrived late, so everything was a rush for my first ride.

“All the boys were trying hard tonight and working together. I was against some really good riders tonight, but we just carried on working at it throughout the night.

“It was a nice feeling to win my last race. The track was slick, but I got my head wrapped around the fastest way around here. Even when I didn’t get out in front, I knew I could get through.”

The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium sees the BetGoodwin Oxford Spires take on Sheffield Tigers in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash on Thursday (August 14) at 7.30pm. It’s the first of two home meetings this week, since the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies host Workington on Sunday (August 17) – please note the start-time of 6pm.

Tickets are on sale for both meetings on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Leicester Lions 50: Max Fricke 12, Luke Becker R/R, Ryan Douglas 15+1, Steve Worrall 1, Sam Masters 15+1, Drew Kemp 5, Joe Thompson 2.

BetGoodwin Oxford Spires 40: Charles Wright 5+1, Erik Riss R/R, Maciej Janowski 10, Mitch McDiarmid 6+1, Rohan Tungate 7, Peter Kildemand 9+3, Luke Killeen 3+1.

PHOTO by Les Aubrey