REPORT: Historic win for Cheetahs at Poole
MONARCH Oxford Cheetahs took a sensational 49-41 victory at Cab Direct Championship league leaders Poole last night (Wednesday) – to inflict the first home defeat on Pirates in over two years.
Cheetahs took all three points on offer, including the aggregate bonus point. The result almost guarantees Oxford’s place in the end-of-season play-offs, and moves them up to second place in the Cab Direct Championship table. Furthermore, Cheetahs now have a chance of topping the regular table. They are five points behind Pirates, with two matches in hand.
Pirates were unbeaten at home since June 8, 2022 when Leicester were triumphant in a Championship clash. Since then, Pirates had an unbeaten run of 42 home meetings at Wimborne Road… until Cheetahs won last night.
For Oxford, it was the first time the club have picked up an away victory at Poole in 25 years. The last success came on May 5, 1999, when Cheetahs were triumphant by 48-43 in the Craven Shield. Paul Hurry was top-scorer for Oxford that day with a 10+2 tally. Last night, he was again in the pits for Cheetahs – this time as mechanic for Cheetahs’ skipper Scott Nicholls.
In terms of regular league matches, last night was only Cheetahs’ second away win in 47 attempts since the two teams first met at Wimborne Road in 1949. The previous league victory came in 1998.
Cheetahs sensed victory early on. They were much stronger at reserve than Pirates, and ended up outscoring Pirates by 14 to 2 in the reserve berths. Every Cheetah won at least one race during the evening.
In Heat 2, Pirates were lucky to pick up a point. Firstly, Tobias Thomsen crashed out of the race while chasing Luke Killeen and Paul Starke. In the re-run, Jacob Hook also fell – on the first turn – and was somewhat generously allowed in the re-run. It didn’t stop Starke and Killeen for taking a 5-1 in the second re-run.
Pirates twice led in the early stages, before Cheetahs levelled matters with a 4-2 in Heat 4. That saw a sensational ride by Killeen, who chopped back inside the in-form Tom Brennan after a lap and then held off the Poole heat-leader.
Sam Masters and Scott Nicholls were their usual high-quality selves and won the next two races, while Nicholls passing home No 1 Richard Lawson on the third turn of Heat 6.
Oxford pulled ahead for the first time for a lead that they would not surrender in Heat 7, Jenkins flew around Brennan on the back straight. Ashton Boughen performed a similar move on Tobias Thomsen on the third lap, as Cheetahs took a 4-2.
Cheetahs moved six points ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 8 from Cameron Heeps and Killeen, while Boughen won Heat 10 in brilliant style. Boughen and Jenkins both trapped. Lawson managed to pass Jenkins, but there was no catching Boughen, as the 16-year-old inflicted a defeat on the highest-averaged rider in the Championship.
Six points down, Pirates introduced Ben Cook into Heat 11 as a tactical substitute and he joined Brennan for a 5-1 over Masters. Cook also won a re-run Heat 12 ahead of Killeen and Boughen, after Hook got to his feet after an alarming fall.
Cheetahs moved four points ahead with a 4-2 in Heat 13. Up front Masters fended off Brennan, while Nicholls produced a battling ride to pass Lawson for a crucial third place.
Oxford clinched victory with a 5-1 in Heat 14. Jenkins and Killeen were first away, and Killeen then fended off Zach Cook for the rest of the race.
The evening concluded with a shared Heat 15, with Ben Cook winning, while Nicholls and Masters packed the minor placings to keep Brennan at the back.
Luke Killeen top-scored for Cheetahs with 11+3, dropping a single point to Ben Cook in Heat 12 and being involved in all three 5-1s to Oxford in Heats 2, 8 and 14.
19-year-old Killeen said: “I’m so happy with my performance tonight. I had a good set-up from the get-go and I just kept my cool. I’m stoked and over the moon – it couldn’t have gone any better.
“It’s great to be the first away team to win at Poole in over two years – that’s a nice feat to take away. There’s always a great team atmosphere on our side of the pits and we worked together to win the meeting.
“I’ve had so much bike time recently, being in all three Oxford sides. My brother Declan is now over here for a few weeks. That takes a lot of pressure off me, because I know he can look after my bikes. I don’t have to touch my bike between races, so I can get my head space into watching the meeting.”
There’s a double dose of action at Oxford Stadium over the next two evenings. Firstly, the OXS Oxford Spires host the King’s Lynn Stars tonight (Thursday) in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tomorrow (Friday) Oxford Stadium will host the prestigious Championship Pairs, with Nicholls and Masters chasing a home victory.
Tickets are on sale for both events at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
Poole Pirates 41: Richard Lawson 7, Sam Hagon 2+1, Ben Cook 16+1, Zach Cook 5+2, Tom Brennan 9, Tobias Thomsen 1, Jacob Hook 1.
Monarch Oxford Cheetahs 49: Sam Masters 10+1, Cameron Heeps 3, Ashton Boughen 5+1, Jordan Jenkins 8, Scott Nicholls 9, Luke Killeen 11+3, Paul Starke 3.
(PHOTO by Steve Edmunds)