REPORT: Oxford Chargers up to second, after excellent victory at King’s Lynn
LED by an immaculate full maximum by skipper Jody Scott, defending champions Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers moved up to second place in the WSRA National League table, after a comfortable 52-38 victory in Norfolk against the King’s Lynn Young Stars last night (Tuesday).
The victory also secured an aggregate bonus point for Chargers, since they had already beaten Young Stars by 50-40 at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on June 10. It was the first away victory for either Oxford side in 2026.
Chargers were two men down, after the retirement of Mason Watson, while Senna Summers was missing with a back injury. Jamie Halder and 15-year-old Seth Norman stepped in as the guest riders.
16-year-old Harry Fletcher – in his last appearance in the reserve berth before he gains a new average and moves into the main body of the side – put in another terrific performance for Chargers and scored 13+1, dropping just to a single point to the experienced Jake Mulford in Heat 4. Ashton Vale was also paid for double figures for Chargers with 9+1.
Chargers moved into a lead they never surrendered with a 4-2 from Scott and Norman in Heat 1.
Young Stars suffered a big blow in Heat 2. Race-leader Ollie Binns took a nasty-looking tumble at the end of the third lap, as Fletcher and Max Broadhurst posted a 4-2. Binns subsequently withdrew from the meeting with a wrist injury. He had scored 13 points for Young Stars in the corresponding meeting at Cowley and was a major miss for the rest of the evening.
Halder made a decent start in Heat 3, but took an awkward tumble on the second bend. He was excluded from the re-run, where Vale took a classy win over Ben Whalley and Mickie Simpson.
King’s Lynn reduced the gap to two points, but youngsters Fletcher and Norman took a 5-1 from Heat 8 to move Chargers six points clear, while Darryl Ritchings – whose final points tally did not reflect his efforts – then re-passed Simpson to win Heat 9.
Scott and Norman took a 4-2 from Heat 11 – after Scott roared around Mulford on the opening bends – as Chargers moved eight points ahead, while Young Stars were then rocked by the withdrawal of remaining reserve Sam Woods with a knee injury, leaving them with a single rider in Heats 12 and 14.
Fletcher took an excellent victory over King’s Lynn heat-leader Simpson in Heat 12, as he took a 4-2 with Halder, while Scott clinched victory for Chargers with victory over Lambert and Mulford in Heat 13.
Fletcher and Vale took a 5-1 in Heat 14, before Scott streaked past Mulford early on in Heat 15 to complete his maximum.
Skipper Jody Scott said: “It’s special to score a maximum around here for the Chargers, since King’s Lynn is my local track – I live just a few miles down the road – and also King’s Lynn are my Premiership club. I’m back here on Thursday, racing for them, and the maximum tonight definitely gives me a boost ahead of that.
“It wasn’t an easy meeting, as I had to face Simon Lambert and Jake Mulford three times each. I know them quite well because they both ride for Redcar, but I just got stuck in. I love riding my bike.
“The whole team performed really well tonight. Everyone put in their all – some of our riders were a bit unlucky such as when Jamie Halder crashed in his opening ride while he was leading, but fortunately he was fit to continue in the meeting and carried on.
“Harry (Fletcher) is progressing nicely in his second season in the National League. He’s scoring plenty of points at reserve and no doubt will be in main team very soon. It’s good to see the younger riders coming up through the team.
“There is a great atmosphere around this team and we were talking to each other throughout the night. It was great to take all three points, including the aggregate point, especially since the Young Stars have a decent side.”
With the postponement of this Wednesday’s meeting against Poole – due to a clash with England’s football World Cup knockout game against Congo – the next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (July 8) at 7.30pm, when the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs take on Plymouth Gladiators in Cab Direct Championship action. Tickets are on sale in due course on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
King’s Lynn Young Stars 38: Simon Lambert 11+1, Connor King 1, Mickie Simpson 7+1, Ben Whalley 5+2, Jake Mulford 11+1, Sam Woods 3, Ollie Binns 0.
Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers 52: Jody Scott 15 (full maximum), Seth Norman 4+1, Jamie Halder 3+2, Ashton Vale 9+1, Darryl Ritchings 7, Harry Fletcher 13+1, Max Broadhurst 1.
PHOTO by Les Aunbrey