REPORT: Tough night at Plymouth
SD TIMMO CAR SALES Oxford Cheetahs suffered a tough start to their BSN Series campaign with a 32-57 defeat at the Plymouth Coliseum last night (Saturday).
There was a shower in the hour before the meeting and further rain in the early stages that left the Plymouth track – the smallest and tightest in the country – difficult to ride.
Cheetahs had the worst possible start when skipper Sam Masters took an awkward tumble in Heat 1 and twisted his knee. The Australian had made a good start from the outside, but was pushed wide on the second turn. He dropped to the back and fell early on the second lap trying to make up lost ground.
To add insult to injury, Luke Killeen also tumbled on the final lap of the re-run. Referee Christina Turnbull inexplicably stopped the race, since it was on the final lap. Killeen remounted and pushed his damaged bike home for a point, only to be denied since he had already been excluded. Plymouth took a 5-0 from the race.
Track conditions were far from ideal at this point, demonstrated that there were track grades before both the re-run and also following Heat 1.
Plymouth soon took command. Dayle Wood was the early leader of Heat 4, but twice got into trouble, the second time hitting the fence with some force. He was soon on his feet.
With Gladiators much sharper from the tapes, they led 41-18 after 10 races. But Masters outrapped old colleague Scott Nicholls in Heat 11, then Killeen raced around the outside on the opening bends, as Cheetahs pegged back a 5-1.
There was a further success in the concluding Heat 15. Masters got away, while McDiarmid used the outside line to steam ahead on the exit of the second bend. Danny King relieved Masters of second place on the final lap, as Cheetahs ended with a 4-2 for a second heat advantage on the evening.
Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “The track was very tough to begin with, following the rain. Sam twisted his knee quite badly in the first race. He continued in the meeting, despite being in pain. When your skipper comes off in Heat 1, it does have a knock-on effect on the rest of the team.
“It seemed to affect our boys mentally. We weren’t trapping the way that Plymouth were and that’s going to hurt you around here. Plymouth are more used to the track than us when it’s like this – the track tonight wasn’t one we’ve experienced before. As a unit, it was our first away meeting of the season and it showed.
“There were some good signs. Both Luke Killeen and Mitch McDiarmid had a very pleasing final outing and ended their evening with their head held high. Mitch changed a couple of things on his bike prior to Heat 15, while Luke showed plenty of aggression and deserved to join Sam for a 5-1 in Heat 11.
“If we rode like us as a team in the middle of the season, I’d be quite upset. But it was our first away meeting, so we’ll just brush ourselves off and get on with it. It’s the start of the season and we won’t get too carried away.
“We’ve got a big meeting coming up at home on Wednesday against Poole, and we’ve got a chance to put it right then. The BSN Series is very short, with only four meetings. We’ve had a slip-up tonight, which means it’s all-important that we beat Poole on Wednesday.”
The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium sees SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs at home to Poole Pirates in the BSN Series next Wednesday (April 15). Supporters are urged to show their support for the club with a large attendance against their arch-rivals. Tickets are already on sale at the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
Plymouth Gladiators 57: Danny King 12, Joe Thompson 9+2, Tobias Thomsen R/R, Ben Barker 12, Scott Nicholls 9, Daniel Klima 14+3, Tom Spencer 1.
SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 32: Sam Masters 10, Luke Killeen 3+1, Anders Rowe 5+1, Mitch McDiarmid 7, Erik Riss 4+1, Darryl Ritchings 1+1, Dayle Wood 2.
PHOTO by Steve Edmunds