Bears beat the Cheetahs in Cup classic!
Redcar powered through to the KO Cup quarter finals with a hard fought 94-86 win over the Oxford Cheetahs. Redcar skipper Charles Wright top scored for the Bears with 13 points whilst British legend Scott Nicholls hit paid 10 for Oxford.
Oxford started brightly with a 4-2 in heat 1 as a fast starting Troy Batchelor took a tapes to flag win from Wright in second. Redcar immediately hit back with a heat 2 5-1 as Jordan Jenkins took a comfortable win with Edwards holding off early outside pressure from Dillon Ruml.
Four shared heats followed with a superb win in heat 3 from Kasper Andersen who picked off both Jack Thomas and Cameron Heeps superbly after Lewis Kerr came to grief on the pits bend. Nathan Stoneman gated in heat 4 but was passed by the leg trailing Erik Riss on bend 3 of lap 1 to take a fairly comfortable win.
Oxford then drew level on the night to keep their lead at 4 as the impressive Thomas held off a concerted inside effort from Riss and with Heeps in 3rd Oxford smelt blood. Another 4-2 for the Cheetahs with Kyle Newman taking an impressive win as Redcar were left standing at the start. Oxford were now 6 ahead on aggregate and seemingly in a strong position.
The ever impressive Lewis Kerr won by half a straight to bring Redcar back into contention as Kasper Andersen pushed Ruml wide on the pits bend to take a precious 3rd place. Heat 10 brought Redcar level on aggregate with Wright winning by the proverbial mile whilst Adam Roynon first passed Thomas and then intelligently came up the inside of Heeps to take a vital paid win.
Things were not looking good for Redcar in heat 11 as the Cheetahs gated on a maximum heat advantage but the Cheetahs pairing nearly collided which gave Riss the chance to manoeuvre into second. The German then stalked Newman and passed him on the back straight to keep the Bears level.
Redcar then went ahead for the first time on aggregate with Lewis Kerr taking his third win from 4 outings and with Jenkins keeping a determined Dillon Ruml at bay the Bears led by 2. Wright rode a classic captain’s race as he raced smartly to dive up the inside of Batchelor on the final bend to take a win which sent the crowd into raptures!
Another important 4-2 advantage followed in heat 14 as Jenkins fought brilliantly to get the better of Heeps and Stoneman who both threatened from the inside and outside but the Brit was not for passing. Andersen then got the better of Stoneman who then came to grief trying to re-pass with the race awarded.
This left the tie delicately poised with Redcar 4 up on aggregate which left the Cheetahs with no other option, they needed a 5-1 to force golden heats. Wright and Kerr did what they have done countless times for the Bears with a huge 5-1 to send a good crowd home happy after another Bears victory!
Redcar’s Jordan Jenkins was pleased with his return to form, “It has been a frustrating couple of weeks personally but after tonight I’m feeling a lot better. I was speaking to my mechanic (Brian) and my Grandad before the meeting. I said to the both of them I needed a good meeting and I made some good starts to make things easier, tonight was a big confidence booster!”
The Brit came up with the good for Redcar in heat 14 and he was pleased to cap his night off with a win, “I got some drive, I knew that I had to shut the door on Cam (Heeps) and get ahead of Nathan (Stoneman) and that’s what I did, once I got on the right line I was away!”
Redcar Bears = 51 (94)
1. Charles Wright = 13
2. Adam Roynon = 3+2
3. Lewis Kerr = 11+1
4. Kasper Andersen = 5
5. Erik Riss = 8
6. Jason Edwards = 2+1
7. Jordan Jenkins = 9
Oxford Cheetahs = 39 (86)
1. Troy Batchelor = 8+1
2. Kyle Newman = 7+1
3. Jack Thomas = 7
4. Cameron Heeps = 5+1
5. Scott Nicholls = 8+2
6. Dillon Ruml = 1
7. Nathan Stoneman (G) = 3
