REPORT: Oxford remain in charge of title fight, after exciting evening of racing in Scotland

LEAGUE leaders Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs are one meeting away from winning the WSRA National League, after collecting the aggregate bonus point during a thriller double-header at Edinburgh’s Armadale Stadium last night (Friday).

Chargers lost the meeting to Edinburgh Monarchs Academy by 42-48 after a last-heat decider, but picked up the aggregate point by 103-77. Combined with the result of the following meeting – which ended up as 44-40 victory for Edinburgh over Leicester Lion Cubs – Chargers lead the league table on 17 points, ahead of Edinburgh on 16 points and Leicester on 13 points.

Both Edinburgh and Leicester can now reach a maximum of 19 points, and Chargers can move out of sight of both their rivals on 20 points with victory at Middlesbrough next Saturday (September 27) at 3pm.

Chargers put up a great fight at Armadale. They were without skipper Jody Scott (riding for Redcar at Championship level), Max Broadhurst (out for the season with a hand injury) and Jacob Clouting (on paternity leave).

But every time that Monarchs Academy threatened to pull away, Chargers dragged themselves back into contention. Harry Fletcher, guesting for Broadhurst, overtook Luke Harris in Heat 2 to join Arran Butcher for a 5-1, and he joined stand-in skipper Darryl Ritchings for another 5-1 in Heat 4, after Vinnie Foord suffered an engine failure.

With both sides continuing to trade heat advantages, Senna Summers and Ashton Vale added a third 5-1 to Chargers in Heat 7. Summers took a second heat win in Heat 10 – this time defeating Academy’s No 1 Dayle Wood – despite suffering both a puncture and a broken seat bracket during the race.

15-year-old sensation Cooper Rushen – guesting for Jody Scott – burst into life by rounding Foord in sensational style to win Heat 11, despite losing his steel shoe during the race.

Fletcher’s impressive evening came to an end when he suffered a back injury in Heat 12, but Ritchings and Rushen combined 5-1 in Heat 13 that pulled Chargers to just two points behind, and that gap was maintained in a shared Heat 14.

In Heat 15, Monarchs tracked two unbeaten riders in Jordy Loftus and Connor Coles, while Chargers were represented by Rushen and Ritchings. Loftus soon took control of the race, while Rushen won a battle for second place with Coles. Ritchings was then pressing Coles for third , when Rushen came off on the final bend and the race was awarded as a 5-1 to Edinburgh.

Senna Summers scored nine points for Chargers. He said: “I’ve only been here once before, which was the beginning of last year and I really struggled, so it was good to come back and have a good meeting, even though it’s still not one of my favourite tracks.

“I was making good starts and that was very helpful and I was trying to attack the track as much as possible. In Heat 10, when I beat Dayle Wood, I had a puncture during the race and my seat bracket also broke, but I rode sensibly and got the bike to the finish line.

“Edinburgh have a good team, plus this is one of the hardest places to come to – it’s a difficult track to figure out. All the boys got stuck in and we all helped each other out and we were a bit unlucky in places – we dropped points in several races.

“But we’re still in a position where hopefully we can finish the job in our final meeting at Middlesbrough.

“I am very happy how my season has gone – I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so good. Being in a good environment with a good team and a good management helps, because everyone’s confidence is high. I’m just trying to take it as little steps all the time and keep moving forward.”

The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium sees the BetGoodwin Oxford Spires at home to the Leicester Lions in a re-arranged ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash next Thursday (September 25) at 7.30pm. Due to forthcoming exciting new developments in British Speedway, it will be the final-ever meeting for Spires, since Oxford Speedway will concentrate on the Cheetahs and Chargers in 2026. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Edinburgh Monarchs Academy 48: Dayle Wood 9, Luke Crang 6+1, Connor Coles 12+3, Jordy Loftus 14+1, Vinnie Foord 2, Luke Harris 2+1, Lee Harrison 3.

Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs 42: Cooper Rushen 6+1, Kieran Douglas 1, Senna Summers 9, Ashton Vale 5+1, Darryl Ritchings 10, Arran Butcher 5+2, Harry Fletcher 6+2.

PHOTO by Steve Edmunds