PREVIEW: Depleted Cheetahs head to Edinburgh

SD TIMMO CAR SALES Oxford Cheetahs will have an unfamiliar line-up when they commence their Cab Direct Championship fixtures at Edinburgh’s Armadale Stadium on Friday evening (May 15) at 7.30pm. Cheetahs also feature at Workington on Saturday (May 16) at 6pm.

Oxford were already due to be missing Erik Riss (still ruled out through illness) and Mitch McDiarmid (riding in Poland) at Edinburgh. But both Luke Killeen and Darryl Ritchings crashed during Wednesday’s home defeat in the MAXiCab Knockout Cup to the Poole Pirates.

Killeen is ruled out for nine days by the concussion protocols. Ritchings suffered various bumps and bruises in the same Heat 8 accident. He completed the meeting against Pirates and scored seven points – his highest return at this level – but woke up on Thursday morning feeling very much the worse for wear and needs time to recover.

With eight of the nine teams in the Cab Direct Championship in action on Friday evening, guests are very limited. Cheetahs use rider replacement for Riss – with everyone except skipper Sam Masters able to take a ride – while Alfie Bowtell and Ben Morley have been booked as guests, along with Oxford Charger Ashton Vale.

Edinburgh are missing Dan Thompson through injury. Like Cheetahs, they have sought out a guest from outside the Championship, with Drew Kemp guesting at No 1.

McDiarmid will return for the fixture at Workington on Saturday. Vale is again due to cover for Chargers’ team-mate Ritchings, where the experienced Justin Sedgmen will cover for Riss and 16-year-old hot prospect William Cairns – fresh from his 14+1 display for Poole at Oxford on Wednesday evening – will deputise for Killeen.

The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium is on Wednesday, May 27 at 7.30pm, when the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs take on Edinburgh Monarchs in their opening home meeting in the Cab Direct Championship. Tickets will be on sale in due course on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Teams for Friday’s meeting:

Edinburgh Monarchs: Drew Kemp (G), Jonatan Grahn, Justin Sedgmen, Paco Castagna, Kye Thomson, Mitchell Cluff, Jordy Loftus. Team manager: Alex Harkess.

SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs: Sam Masters (C), Erik Riss R/R, Alfie Bowtell (G), Ben Morley (G), Anders Rowe, Ashton Vale (G), Dayle Wood. Team manager: Peter Schroeck.

FRIDAY LUNCHTIME UPDATE: Please note tomorrow’s (Saturday) meeting at Workington has been called off early by the Workington management due to the weather forecast. The meeting at Edinburgh tonight (Friday) is still due to go ahead.

PHOTO by Steve Edmunds