REPORT: Cheetahs lose out at Scunthorpe
SD TIMMO CAR SALES Oxford Cheetahs suffered a 38-52 reverse in a tough away fixture in the Cab Direct Championship at Scunthorpe on Friday evening.
Scunthorpe Scorpions have a very solid side and are strong around their home track, and the North Lincolnshire side moved to the top of the table with this victory.
In a shared Heat 1, Oxford skipper Sam Masters and Luke Killeen pegged back Scunthorpe No 1 Josh Pickering to the back – Pickering’s first unplaced ride for Scunthorpe all season.
Scunthorpe took control of the meeting with successive 5-1s, but Dayle Wood and Anders Rowe hit back with a 4-2 in Heat 4. Masters then produced a sublime ride in Heat 5, passing both Dan Gilkes and then Luke Harrison on the final bend to win the race.
Cheetahs continued to battle and took a 4-2 from Heat 7, after Edward Kennett flew around Michael Palm Toft to win the race.
Heat 8 was a classic race. Connor Mountain won a duel for first place with Luke Killeen, with Killeen and Nathan Ablitt then swapping places several times on the final lap in the battle for second, before Killeen snatched the verdict on the line.
That race was the first of three successive heat advantages for Scorpions as they extended lead to 14 points heading into the interval.
Masters and Killeen combined for a 5-1 in Heat 11, and Masters also won Heat 12, coming in as a tactical substitute.
In Heat 13, Masters won a battle with Palm Toft for second place, which became first place when race-leader Pickering ground to a halt with an engine failure.
Scorpions clinched the meeting with a 5-1 in Heat 14, while Masters took second place in an exciting Heat 15, after re-passing Harrison on the second lap.
Masters scored 16 points, winning his middle four outings, including three rides on the trot from Heat 11 to Heat 13. The Oxford skipper said: “I don’t count this as one of my favourite tracks, so I’m happy to come away with a hatful of points. The last couple of weeks I feel I’m back on form.
“When I was out in those three races on the trot, I didn’t have time to reflect on them, because it’s so quick – you’re straight back out and need to concentrate on that. I’ll have a chat with the boys (my mechanics) on the way home and I’ll be able to take it in.
“In terms of the team results, it’s a bit frustrating. I’ve been part of winning teams and teams that have done less well and that’s all part of the sport, but at the moment it’s hard to take.
“We are battling as a team, but it’s just not happening for us. When we lose away from home, we do need to keep it a bit closer to give us a better chance of the aggregate bonus points. It’s difficult when the team is losing, but you have to make sure you’re still enjoy racing the bike and I’m making sure I do that.”
Meanwhile, Cheetahs’ Mitch McDiarmid scored two points in the opening round of the SGP2 (World Under-21 Championship) in Malilla, Sweden on Friday evening. Oxford mascot Fraser Buckle scored also scored two points in the SGP4 (a meeting for 11 to 13 year olds) in Sweden on Saturday morning.
Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions 52: Josh Pickering 9, Connor Mountain 8, Dan Gilkes 8+2, Luke Harrison 11+1, Michael Palm Toft 7, Ryan Ingram 2+1, Nathan Ablitt 7+2.
SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 38: Sam Masters 16, Luke Killeen 5+2, Edward Kennett 5, Sam Hagon 2, Anders Rowe 5, Darryl Ritchings 1, Dayle Wood 4.
PHOTO by Steve Edmunds