REPORT: Killeen blow too much, as Cheetahs lose out at Poole
MONARCH Oxford Cheetahs saw their Cab Direct Championship hopes sunk on a night of some brutal speedway in the second leg of the Grand Final at Poole’s Wimborne Road last night (Wednesday). Poole Pirates won 56-34 on the evening and 95-85 on aggregate to reclaim the league championship they previously won in 2021 and 2022.
Cheetahs headed into the meeting with a 12-point lead from the first leg at Oxford, and that lead was extended to 14 points in Heat 1, after the exclusion of Richard Lawson for swiping away from the front leg of Sam Masters on the third bend.
Heat 2 was the real taking point. Luke Killeen was first away, but Tobias Thomsen moved under him on the second bend. Vinnie Foord then made contact with Killeen as he pushed under the Cheetah on the back straight and Killeen come down in an untidy heap. To add insult to injury, referee Michael Breckon excluded Killeen from the re-run. While Killeen was still down on the track receiving medical attention, Foord was blowing kisses to the large contingent of Oxford fans on the first and second bend.
Killeen took one more ride in Heat 6, but clearly wasn’t fit, and took another fall, before being withdrawn from the meeting. It was a huge blow for Cheetahs to lose the rider who had scored 11+3 on his previous visit to Wimborne Road.
Meanwhile, a third Oxford rider in three races found themselves on the deck in Heat 3. Ashton Boughen made a good start, but Zach Cook cannoned into his rear entering the first bend and Boughen also needed medical treatment before continuing in the meeting.
Pirates moved 15-9 ahead on the night, but Cheetahs showed resistance with Masters and lively guest Dan Gilkes taking a 4-2 over the Cook brothers, Zach and Ben, in Heat 5.
Another flashpoint came in Heat 8. Foord recklessly dived inside Scott – Oxford’s remaining reserve – as they entered the first bend of the second lap. Both hit the air fence at speed. Scott was absolutely livid, but soon to his feet.
Foord was excluded from the re-run, but seemed to find the whole incident funny, laughing and further inciting the Oxford fans. It was deeply unprofessional behaviour and hopefully the Poole management will take action against their rider. Meanwhile, Foord was unable to continue in the meeting, having wrecked all his machinery.
Gilkes beat Thomsen in the re-run, as Cheetahs took a 4-2, but the Cook brothers took a 5-1 over Scott Nicholls in Heat 9 to level the scores. Incidentally, Nicholls had lost a race win in Heat 6, when he made a perfect gate, only for the referee to stop the race and warn Nicholls for moving at the tapes, which he hadn’t done.
Just when it looked all lost for Cheetahs, Boughen – recently in the wars – flew out of the gate in Heat 10 and then fended off everything that Poole No 1 Lawson could throw at him. Boughen and Cameron Heeps moved Cheetahs back ahead overall with a 4-2.
Cheetahs stayed ahead with a shared Heat 11, but badly missed the presence of Killeen in Heat 12, as Pirates moved two ahead on aggregate with a 5-1.
Masters was involved in an early fight with the Pirates in Heat 13, and battled to second place, but Pirates moved further ahead with a 4-2.
Heeps did everything he could in Heat 14, but Zach Cook overtook him on the opening lap, as Pirates clinched the Cab Direct Championship title with a 4-2 and the celebrations began in the Poole camp. Masters suffered mechanical gremlins in the final race allowing Poole to finish with a further 5-1 and finish ten points ahead on aggregate.
Sam Masters got off the deck in Heat 1 to win his opening two outings and top score for Cheetahs with 10 points, while Gilkes put in another very notable guest performance. His 6+1 tally would have been even higher, had to not lifted, fallen and remounted in the re-run of Heat 1 when the track was at its trickiest, following heavy rain on Tuesday.
Oxford team manager Peter Schroeck said: “I think the loss of Luke Killeen is ultimately what killed us off tonight. We lost our trump card reserve.
“In his first race in Heat 2, Luke was left with nowhere to go. There were some weak refereeing decisions tonight and Luke should not have been excluded. He went out again, but he wasn’t right, came off again and he was withdrawn from the meeting.
“Jody was lucky not to be hurt in Heat 8 when he was taken into the fence at speed. That could have been a very nasty one when he was too was taken out by Vinnie Foord.
“The Poole boys were ruthless – particularly in the opening races. Both Sam and Ashton had to pick themselves up after nasty crashes and that all took its toll. But all the boys battled on and I’m proud of their efforts.
“Congratulations to Poole on winning the league title. Once it settles down, we will start to reflect that we pushed them all the way and finished above seven other teams in the Cab Direct Championship.
“In the meantime, of course, it’s a tough one to take. But I got together the riders and mechanics and told them they’d given their all and to brush ourselves off and give it another go in the Cab Direct Knockout Cup Final, when we will try to repay the favour.”
There will be one further meeting at Oxford Stadium this season – the final of the Cab Direct Championship Knockout Cup against Poole. Dates for the two legs are expected to be confirmed soon.
Oxford Speedway stages its End Of Season Party at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry on Friday, October 25. Tickets are on sale at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
Poole Pirates 56: Richard Lawson 10+1, Sam Hagon 3, Ben Cook 9, Zach Cook 8+1, Tom Brennan 13, Tobias Thomson 10+2, Vinnie Foord 3+1.
Monarch Oxford Cheetahs 34: Sam Masters 10, Dan Gilkes 6+1, Ashton Boughen 4, Cameron Heeps 6, Scott Nicholls 6, Luke Killeen 0, Jody Scott 2.
PHOTO: Vinnie Foord sends both himself and Jody Scott crashing in Heat 8 (pic: Steve Edmunds)