REACTION: “It got a bit close towards the end, but we pulled together as a team and we won it.”

LEAGUE leaders Monarch Oxford Cheetahs maintained their 100% record in the Cab Direct Championship with a 47-42 victory in an eventful meeting at Plymouth last night (Tuesday), with Devon-based Henry Atkins proving the match-winner on his return to his old club, while Scott Nicholls and Sam Masters scored a 4-2 in the last-heat decider.

Cheetahs were without Jordan Jenkins, who was side-lined with a wrist injury and utilised rider replacement in his absence.

Jenkins started to suffer with his wrist during Saturday’s victory at Berwick, when was seen by the medics during that night, but completed the meeting and was involved in a match-winning 5-1 with Atkins in Heat 14. Jenkins struggled again with his wrist at Belle Vue on Monday night and was forced to withdraw after two rides.

Without one of shining lights in recent weeks, Cheetahs could have been up against it, especially as they scored just two points from the R/R outings.

Add in a couple of exclusions for Scott Nicholls, and at times, it seemed this might be a night when the luck went against Oxford. Nicholls picked a highly unusual exclusion from Heat 4, when he lined up without a dirt deflector, while he lifted and crashed on the second bend of Heat 9.

And yet Cheetahs never found themselves more than one point behind at any stage of proceedings and provided 10 out of the 15 heat winners. In a yo-yo battle, the lead changed six times during the night, including every race between Heat 8 and Heat 12.

Atkins and Ryan Kinsley put Cheetahs ahead with a 5-1 in the re-run of Heat 2, after race-leader Jake Turner had crashed in the initial staging.

Heat 3 saw a moment of controversy. There was nothing wrong with Ben Barker’s pass of Lewis Kerr on the fourth bend to take second place. But, as Kerr went to move back around Barker at the end of the lap, Barker shut the door and Kerr somehow stayed on board his bike, despite bouncing off the fence. The race was allowed to continue, with Gladiators levelling with a 5-1.

Richie Worrall and Nicholls came down on the second bend of Heat 4, after Worrall picked up drive. Neither were in the re-run – Worrall was excluded for the incident, and Nicholls due to the lack of dirt deflector in the initial staging. Plymouth took a 3-2 to move ahead.

The next three races were shared, with Nicholls making amends with a fine pass to overtake Kyle Howarth to win Heat 6.

Atkins won Heat 8, while Cameron Heeps chased Ben Morley all the way home for second place, as Cheetahs moved back ahead with a 4-2.

After Nicholls was excluded for his fall in Heat 9, Kinsley produced a brilliant ride to keep Barker at bay for four laps in the re-run. It restricted Gladiators to a 4-2.

Kerr and Atkins trapped in Heat 10. Howarth recovered second place from Atkins, but the 4-2 still moved Cheetahs back ahead.

The lead changed hands once more in Heat 11. The previously unbeaten Masters threw everything in his pursuit of race-leader Worrall, and it looked like he may have the legs on the Plymouth rider on the final lap, but Worrall edged back ahead as the two riders flashed over the finishing line.

In many ways, Heat 12 was decisive. It saw a re-match between Barker and Kerr. The Oxford rider outfoxed his opponent by cutting to the inside on the second bend to roar ahead. Barker then appeared to lose his cool, and seemed to be aiming his bike for Kerr, but it simply lost him ground and left him vulnerable to Atkins. Eventually the Cornishman fell on the second lap, leaving Kerr and Atkins to take a 5-1.

Nicholls and Masters produced a superb opening lap to take control of Heat 13 and Cheetahs opened up a seven-point gap.

Plymouth introduced a tactical substitute in Heat 14 and took a 5-1 of their own to force a last-heat decider.

But Nicholls and Masters would not be denied. Although Howarth managed to sneak into second place on the opening lap, Cheetahs still held the 4-2 they needed to win the meeting.

Heat-leaders Masters (11+1), Kerr (11) and Nicholls (9) won eight races between them. Kerr is still not quite 100% following his crash at Berwick on Saturday, but put in a typically determined performance, while Nicholls was unbeaten except for his two exclusions.

But, in many ways, the two match-winners for Oxford were the two reserves, Atkins (11+1) and Kinsley (4+1). They scored 15 paid 17 between them, compared to the eight points scored by the Plymouth reserve pairing.

Speaking post-meeting, Henry Atkins said: “It got a bit close towards the end, but we pulled together as a team and we won it.

“They couldn’t cope with Scott and Sam in Heats 13 and 15, while Ryan had a good one, and we scored a lot of points between the two of us at reserve.

“I’m really happy how I’m going at the moment. I’m making starts and getting myself in the right place at the right time.

“It was also nice to score my best score yet at Championship level back at Plymouth and show that I haven’t lost it around here.

“It’s good to get another win and build up those points at the top of the table. We now move onto Poole at home [on Wednesday evening]. We’re full of confidence and we want to beat the Pirates as well.”

Plymouth Gladiators 42: Kyle Howarth 9, Ben Morley 4+2, Ben Barker 5+1, Dan Gilkes 9+2, Richie Worrall 7+1, Jake Turner 3, Ben Trigger 5.

Monarch Oxford Cheetahs 47: Sam Masters 11+1, Cameron Heeps 1, Lewis Kerr 11, Jordan Jenkins R/R, Scott Nicholls 9, Henry Atkins 11+1, Ryan Kinsley 4+1.

PHOTO: Scott Nicholls and Sam Masters – who did the business in Heat 13 and 15 at Plymouth (pic: STEVE EDMUNDS)