REPORT: Spires edged out in final outing

BETGOODWIN Oxford Spires lost out by 44-46 to Leicester Lions in their concluding ROWE Motor Oil Premiership meeting, after being edged out in a last-heat decider at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium last night (Thursday).

It was the last-ever meeting for Spires, who have operated as part of a bold three-team experiment at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium in both 2024 and 2025. Due to new exciting forthcoming developments in 2026, with growing speculation over a change to the league structure, there will only be two teams at Oxford in 2026 – Cheetahs and Chargers.

Lions went 22-14 ahead after six races, but Spires turned the meeting around halfway through, with two successive 5-1s – both featuring Rising Star Luke Killeen. Killeen joined Charles Wright for a 5-1 in Heat 7 and likewise joined fellow reserve Peter Kildemand for another maximum heat win in Heat 8.

Rohan Tungate and the otherwise off-colour Maciej Janowski put Spires ahead with a 4-2 in Heat 9, with Sam Masters passing Janowski after a lap, but Tungate winning the race with some comfort.

Lions moved back ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 11. But Spires were not finished and Tungate and Wright popped out for a 5-1 in Heat 13, with Wright holding off the previously unbeaten Max Fricke to move Spires back ahead at 40-38.

Drew Kemp and Kyle Howarth led for Lions in Heat 14, but a battling ride for Kildemand took him into second place to leave the scores level at 42-42 heading into the decisive Heat 15.

Tungate and Wright occupied the same gates as Heat 13, but this time around, Fricke beat them into the first turn. Ryan Douglas spotted a gap and thrust inside Tungate on the third turn to move into third place and the 4-2 saw Lions snatch a 46-44 victory.

Despite arriving just before the start of the meeting due to a delayed flight, Tungate top-scored for Spires with 12+1, while reserves Kildemand (12) and Killeen (7+2) amassed paid 21 between them. For 20-year-old Killeen, it was his best-ever score in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Wright also scored well with 8+2. Those four riders scored all but five points for Spires between them.

Leicester finished third in the final Premiership table, just a point behind Sheffield and Ipswich. Lions face Ipswich in the play-off final in their quest to win a first-ever top-flight league championship. Spires finished sixth, ahead of Birmingham, having won all four fixtures against Brummies.

Peter Kildemand said: “It’s a hard one to swallow when you lose by just a couple of points, but Leicester have a strong side. But we put on a good show and really run them hard and fair play to Leicester on taking the victory.

“I put in a new engine today, because I’m already preparing ahead of the winter for next season. It worked well, and I’m happy with how I went tonight.

“It’s been good to return to British Speedway this season. I’ve really started to enjoy racing again. The last couple of seasons I’ve been out with quite serious injuries and I’d stopped enjoying my racing. It’s been good riding for Oxford – coming back over to Britain has really helped me this year.”

The next action at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium sees SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by AW Mobbs host Redcar Bears in the second leg of their MAXiCab Knockout Cup semi-final on Sunday (September 28). Please note the start-time of 5pm. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

The first leg is up at Redcar tonight (Friday, September 26) and the aggregate winners will progress to the final to face Poole Pirates.

In between the Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs can clinch the WSRA National League at Redcar on Saturday afternoon (September 27) at 3pm. Victory against the Middlesbrough Tigers would secure the second NL title in three seasons for Chargers.

BetGoodwin Oxford Spires 44: Erik Riss R/R, Victor Palovaara 2+1, Rohan Tungate 12+1, Maciej Janowski 3, Charles Wright 8+2, Peter Kildemand 12, Luke Killeen 7+2.

Leicester Lions 46: Max Fricke 13, Luke Becker 6+2, Ryan Douglas 9, Kyle Howarth 2+1, Sam Masters 8, Drew Kemp 7+1, Joe Thompson 1.

PHOTO: Charles Wright and Rohan Tungate take a 5-1 over Max Fricke in Heat 13 (pic: Steve Edmunds)