PREVIEW: Cheetahs aim to outfight Gladiators

MONARCH Oxford Cheetahs are looking to continue their impressive home form when they host Plymouth Gladiators in the Cab Direct Championship at Oxford Stadium on Wednesday evening (7.30pm).

Plymouth have already visited Cowley once this year. The previous meeting on April 17 in the BSN Series was Cheetahs’ opening home meeting of the season. Gladiators led by eight points, but Cheetahs won by 46-44, after a dramatic finish to Heat 15, where referee Gary Allen gave second place to Scott Nicholls ahead of Dan Thompson, even though video evidence suggested that Thompson may have just snatched the verdict on the line.

Oxford’s home performances since the commencement of the Cab Direct Championship have been much more impressive. League leaders Poole took Cheetahs all the way to a Super Heat, but Cheetahs have scored at least 53 points in their other five home league matches.

Cheetahs’ strong home form, plus their competitive away outings, have led to the side collecting all four aggregate bonus points so far.

Oxford currently sit in third place in the table, with three matches in hand on second-placed Scunthorpe. The top four qualify for the play-offs and Cheetahs are well on course to qualify.

The recently retired Henry Atkins was already ruled out of the rest of the season with a troublesome broken finger. Adam Roynon is the injury replacement for Atkins, but Roynon is still on the sidelines with a shoulder injury. Oxford Chargers’ heat-leader Jody Scott will ride at No 7. Scott scored 6+2 against Workington on June 26 in his previous guest booking at home for Cheetahs.

Oxford team manager Peter Schroeck said: “Plymouth pushed us very hard at Oxford earlier in the season. We never discount the opposition and we always treat them with respect.

“But we were still finding our feet and our form when we last rode Plymouth. Cam (Heeps) and Jordan (Jenkins) are now flying around Oxford and providing excellent back-up to Sam (Masters) and Scott (Nicholls). Our other lads are also keen to have a good night and we’ve every chance of building up a nice lead for when we visit Plymouth at the end of the month.

“It’s going to be another entertaining evening. The Thompson twins are on form at the moment, and Ben Barker is never a dull visitor, but we plan to finish the evening with another positive result that keeps us in a healthy position in the league table.

“Meanwhile, we add our best wishes and condolences to the family and friends of speedway referee Tony Steele, after his sad passing.”

Tickets are already on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Admission is available at the early bird price of £20 for all adults, which increases to £22 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. A reminder that Oxford Speedway is online ticket sales only – tickets remain on sale on the website until the start-time of the meeting.

Teams:

Monarch Oxford Cheetahs: Sam Masters, Cameron Heeps, Ashton Boughen, Jordan Jenkins, Scott Nicholls (C), Luke Killeen, Jody Scott.

Plymouth Prow Park Gladiators: Jason Edwards (G), Alfie Bowtell, Dan Thompson, Patrick Baek, Ben Barker (C), Joe Thompson, Jacob Hook.

PHOTO: The Heat 15 showdown against Plymouth in April (pic: Steve Edmunds)