REACTION: “I live in Waterstock, near Thame, so it’s only a 15-minute journey to get home. It’s great that Oxford Speedway returned last year and that I now have the chance to ride for my local club where I watched speedway as a kid.”

WSRA Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales recorded a resounding 59-31 victory over the Workington Comets at Oxford Stadium last night (Wednesday).

Chargers also won the aggregate point by 110-70 and the three points lift them back to second place in the National League table – it will the top two teams in the NL who advance directly to the Grand Final and Chargers remain on course to take one of those two places.

Thanks to two rained off home meetings to Kent, plus an abandoned meeting at Kent on July 2, this was the first time Chargers had been involved in a completed meeting since their 51-39 victory at Workington on June 24, while they had not ridden at home since a 54-36 win over Mildenhall on June 6.

Oxford were hit by a pre-meeting blow when Luke Killeen was left stranded in Poland, after a vehicle breakdown meant that he missed his flight back to the UK. Killeen was due to make his first appearance for Chargers since suffering a wrist injury at Belle Vue on May 12. Kai Ward came in as an unattached rider for Killeen and scored a highly creditable 4+1, after finishing third in all four of his races.

With 15-year-old sensation and track specialist Ashton Boughen guesting at No 1 for Workington, it could have all added up to a tricky night for Oxford. But Chargers quickly showed their mettle, storming into an early lead at 16-8, while after eight races the scoreline had moved to 31-17. All three points were in the bag with three races to go, with Chargers 46-26 ahead.

Workington failed to take a single heat advantage all night. Chargers scored three 5-1s, two from the powerful Jordan Jenkins and Henry Atkins pairing in Heats 13 and 15, while there were also eight 4-2s to Chargers and four shared 3-3 races. Chargers only recorded one last place all night.

Jenkins scored a brilliant 15-point full maximum, while he had to pull out all the stops when he tracked Ace Pijper in Heat 6 and eventually passed his opponent after a last bend charge around the outside. The photo finish was so tight that referee Dave Watters consulted the transponder times to determine the winner.

Atkins was never seriously troubled and scored a paid maximum (13+2), while third-heat leader Ryan Kinsley was also paid for double figures (9+1).

Both Jody Scott (6+1) and Jacob Clouting (5) put in good performances as Chargers’ second strings. Scott showed tenacity to grab second place in Heat 14, despite a poor start to that race, while Clouting won Heat 8.

Oxfordshire born-and-bred Jason Garrad finally made his full debut for Chargers. The 36-year-old is in his second stint of racing speedway and scored 7+1, starting with a win in Heat 2 and a paid win in Heat 4. He completed the whole of Heat 12 with a broken seat but finished third after Workington’s Elliott Kelly fell.

For Comets, 16-year-old Luke Harrison top scored with nine points on his first-ever appearance at Oxford. Workington skipper Luke Crang was injured in his second outing in Heat 7 after an awkward tumble and withdrew from the meeting.

Boughen produced a fantastic ride in Heat 5, when he passed off both Kinsley and Scott to win the race, but he was hampered in Heat 11 after an early clash with Atkins left him with a dangling steel shoe.

Home debutant Jason Garrad said: “It’s nice to finally get a full meeting completed with Oxford. I had a few nerves, so it’s good to get it done and dusted. Those nerves meant I was riding a bit tight to begin with.

“I scored a decent amount of points, despite a problem in my last one, where my seat snapped as soon as I let the clutch go. That race was tough, although I picked up a point after one of the Workington riders fell off. That’s hopefully all the gremlins fixed.

“I live in Waterstock, near Thame, so it’s only a 15-minute journey to get home. It’s great that Oxford Speedway returned last year and that I now have the chance to ride for my local club where I watched speedway as a kid.”

“I did half a season for Kent Speedway in 2014 and then returned to riding speedway this February. I realise that, compared to the top boys in this league, I’ve got a lot of ground to recover, but I’ve hit the ground running.

“We’ve got a trip to Iwade coming up on Sunday, and I’ve done a few fair laps there during Paul Hurry training days, so I’m comfortable riding around there.

“Paul is on the spanners for me and it’s a huge help. He’s got a wealth of knowledge – both mechanically and as a rider. He works alongside Scott Nicholls too and there’s not much that Paul doesn’t know. I wouldn’t be where I am now without Paul, so I have to give a massive thank you to him.

“All the Oxford lads are super-friendly and have welcomed me in. Hopefully I can continue scoring points for the team and we can push all the way to the play-off final.”

WSRA Oxford Chargers, powered by SD Timmo Car Sales 59: Jordan Jenkins 15, Jacob Clouting 5, Ryan Kinsley 9+1, Jody Scott 6+1, Henry Atkins 13+2, Kai Ward 4+1, Jason Garrad 7+1.

Workington Comets 31: Ashton Boughen 6, Sam McGurk 5+1, Luke Harrison 9, Luke Crang 0, Ace Pijper 5, Elliot Kelly 3, Harry McGurk 3.

PHOTO: Jason Garrad presented with the Rider Of The Night trophy by sponsor SD Timmo Car Sales (PIC: STEVE EDMUNDS)