Thursday, August 20, 2026
OXFORD SPEEDWAY
CheetahsOxford Speedway

REPORT: Cheetahs finish their season with defeat at Poole

RPOxfordSpeedway

THERE was no fairytale end to the season for the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs at Poole last night (Wednesday), as the side slipped to their heaviest defeat of the year, with home side Poole Pirates strengthening their grip on the top of the Cab Direct Championship table with a 60-30 victory. Skipper Sam Masters scored 14 of Cheetahs’ 30 points.

Attention now switches to the Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers for the remainder of the season, commencing with visit of the Leicester Lion Cubs on Sunday (August 23) at 3pm.

Cheetahs got off to a bright start at Wimborne Road with a 4-2 from Luke Killeen and Sam Masters in Heat 1, with Killeen fending off home No 1 Richard Lawson in fine style. There didn’t seem anything untoward in Killeen’s tactics, so it was a surprise when a seemingly irate Lawson dived underneath Killeen following the conclusion of the race, almost bringing the Cheetah to grief.

Pirates then took firm control of the meeting with three successive 5-1s. The first of those in Heat 2 was rather dubious. New Pirate Slater Lightcap moved and nudged the tapes, before Dayle Wood went through the tapes and broke them. It should be the rider who touches the tapes first who picks up the exclusion, but referee Graeme Hunter made an odd decision – he excluded Wood, while only giving Lightcap a warning.

Masters and Killeen took a 4-2 in Heat 5, while Anders Rowe fended off Lawson in fine style to win Heat 6.

Pirates moved 31-17 ahead, and Masters came into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute. He produced a sublime ride, moving from third to first, passing Cooper Rushen early on, before overtaking Lewis Kerr on the line.

Masters was subsequently overtaken twice by Poole skipper Zach Cook in Heats 11 and 13, but gained revenge by winning Heat 15, ruining the maximums of Cook and Poole reserve Kyle Newman in the process.

The rest of Oxford’s riders battled, right up until Heat 15 where Killeen was on the tail of Newman, but such is the strength of Poole’s side that Mitch McDiarmid ended up as Cheetahs’ second highest-scorer on five points.

Cheetahs’ manager Peter Shroeck said: “This meeting summed up our season. There was no lack effort from the lads, right up until Luke Killeen trying to get into third place in Heat 15.

“But things didn’t go our way. Luke took a fine win over Richard Lawson in Heat 1, but he then had a problem with his bike, while Dayle Wood blew up an engine. Sam Masters was a great leader as usual, while several of the other boys had their moments.

“It was so encouraging to see the Oxford supporters who made the trip tonight congregated on the first turn – it gives us such a lift to see the fans supporting the club both home and away and that’s why we went over to say thank you after the meeting.

“It’s been a tough year, but we were winners the moment the club was saved back in April. Our foundations are now firmer and we’re already planning for next season – Cheetahs will come back stronger. In the meantime, the Chargers are far from finished for this season and I hope the fans turn up in numbers to get behind them on Sunday afternoon.”

The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Sunday (August 23) in an afternoon meeting at 3pm, when the Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers take on Leicester Lion Cubs in the WSRA National League. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Chargers have two other home meetings left – dates to be confirmed – against Edinburgh Monarchs Academy and Buxton Bulls.

Poole Pirates 60: Richard Lawson 7+1, William Cairns 7+1, Lewis Kerr 10, Cooper Rushen 6+2, Zach Cook 14, Slater Lightcap 6+2, Kyle Newman 10+4.

SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 30: Sam Masters 14, Luke Killeen 4, Mitchell Cluff 0, Mitch McDiarmid 5, Anders Rowe 4, Dayle Wood 1, Darryl Ritchings 2.

PHOTO by Steve Edmunds