REPORT: Cheetahs battle back, after slow start at Workington
SD TIMMO CAR SALES Oxford Cheetahs fought back to a last-heat decider at Workington’s GT Tyres Arena in Northside yesterday afternoon (Saturday). But it was home side Workington Comets who eventually won the Cab Direct Championship clash by 48-42. The result means that the aggregate bonus point is there to be won, when the two teams meet at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on August 12.
New signing Edward Kennett – brought in as a 28-day replacement for the ill Erik Riss – made his first competitive appearance in British Speedway since 2022, and the 39-year-old scored a highly creditable 7+1 display for Oxford on his first-ever appearance at the circuit.
Cheetahs’ challenge could have hardly got to a worse start, as Workington charged in a 17-7 advantage over four races. Skipper Sam Masters was all set to win Heat 1, only to shed a chain after a couple of laps.
The fightback started when Dayle Wood and Mitch McDiarmid combined for a 5-1 in Heat 6, with 18-year-old McDiarmid showing maturity way behind his years to team-ride and shut out Comets’ No 1 Jonas Jeppesen.
The McDiarmid and Wood pairing also took a 4-2 in Heat 8, as McDiarmid burst from last to first in exciting style. While the track became a little dry at times during the afternoon due to a fierce wind – the track is just a few hundred yards from the beach – the racing was very good around a racetrack that is establishing itself as one of the best in the country.
Darryl Ritchings – like Kennett – was making his first-ever appearance at the track, and he beat Tate Zischke to second place in Heat 9. Cheetahs continued to fight for every point, such as in Heat 10, when Anders Rowe overtook Vinnie Foord for third place at the chequered flag.
With Oxford six points down, manager Peter Schroeck placed McDiarmid into Heat 11 as a tactical substitute. Comets held a 4-2 for most of the race, only for Masters to overtake the previously unbeaten Troy Batchelor to win the race, while McDiarmid overhauled Niklas Holm Jakobsen, as Cheetahs closed to four points with a 4-2.
In Heat 12, a ding-dong battle for third saw Rowe and Max Perry make contact on the back straight of the final lap. Both stayed on, and they entered the third bend still side-by-side – Perry slid off and also brought down Rowe as their bikes locked together. It looked awkward but Perry was almost straight up, while it took Rowe a couple of minutes more. In the meantime, Perry was excluded from the awarded result. The Workington fans booed the stricken Rowe as he walked off the track, which was harsh since he didn’t make the refereeing decision and had only just got up from a nasty spill. Both riders seemed okay afterwards – Perry took a further outing in Heat 14. The race had seen another impressive second place from Ritchings.
Cheetahs closed to just two points behind with a 4-2 in a stellar Heat 13. While Masters won the race, McDiarmid was involved in a battle royal for the minor placings with Batchelor and Jeppesen. It was tight for second place, with Batchelor just heading home the wide-riding McDiarmid.
Kennett put in a determined effort in Heat 14, but was beaten by Zischke, as Comets took a 4-2 to go into Heat 14 four points ahead.
Teams using rider replacement are still allocated seven tyres, and it’s up to them how they use the seventh tyre. Cheetahs saved it back for McDiarmid, who was due off the outside gate in Heat 15 to give him a fresh edge at a crucial time. But the move backfired when the tyre proved to have a defect and McDiarmid just missed the two-minute countdown. Ritchings came out in his place. Comets soon held a 5-1, but Masters overtook Batchelor with a lap remaining. Comets still clinched victory with a 4-2.
Rider replacement scored 10+1 for Comets, who barely missed Craig Cook, and six for Cheetahs, including the tactical substitute ride in Heat 11.
Skipper Sam Masters top-scored for Cheetahs with 11, dropping just a single point after his machinery problems in Heat 1. He said: “We lost, but I’m proud of everyone’s efforts, because we haven’t been on track much lately. It’s a tough place to come after a few weeks off. We overcame a difficult start to the meeting and I thought we were good enough to win, but the luck just didn’t go our way at the end.
“Something broke on my chain in Heat 1, but apart from that, I had a nearly perfect day. I hope that chain break is my bad luck over.
“We’ve got a lot of fixtures coming up and I’m looking forward to that. When it’s a busy period, you tend to just go out there and ride your bike, rather than thinking about everything that is going on.
“We start that busy period at home against Glasgow next Wednesday. It won’t be easy, because they always have a good team, but we want to win it – we’ll see what happens.”
The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (June 17) at 7.30pm, when the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs take on the Glasgow Tigers in Cab Direct Championship action. The World Cup football involving England will be shown in the main complex from 9pm. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
Workington Comets 48: Jonas Jeppesen 13, Vinnie Foord 3, Craig Cook R/R, Tate Zischke 10, Troy Batchelor 14, Niklas Holm Jakobsen 4+1, Max Perry 4+1.
SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 42: Sam Masters 11, Luke Killeen R/R, Anders Rowe 6+2, Edward Kennett 7+1, Mitch McDiarmid 9+1, Darryl Ritchings 5, Dayle Wood 4.
PHOTO by Steve Edmunds