Classy Cheetahs beat Bears

Oxford struck the first blow in the Cab Direct KO Cup semifinals as they defeated Redcar 50-40 in the first leg at Oxford Stadium. Sam Masters hit an important paid 13 for the hosts whilst the evergreen Charles Wright struck 12 for Redcar. 

The “Agilia” Bears started on the front foot as Charles Wright won from the gate, but with Sam Masters passing Dan Gilkes, Redcar had to settle for a 4-2 in the opening heat. Heat two saw Jake Mulford take an impressive win but with Ben Trigger at the back, the Bears could not build on their early lead. 

However, Oxford showed their mettle with a maximum in heat three as Jordan Jenkins and Ashton Boughen demonstrated their progress in the sport to send the Cheetahs ahead in Oxfordshire. Nevertheless, the Bears hit back to level the tie as Danny King won heat four, and with Mulford in 3rd, Redcar were back on level terms. 

After Wright won a shared heat five, the pendulum once again swung in favour of the hosts as Masters took his first win of the match, and with Cameron Heeps in 3rd, Oxford were two ahead. The hosts then stamped their authority on matters as Jody Scott was shepherded home by Scott Nicholls as the Cheetahs hit their second maximum heat advantage. 

Nevertheless, Redcar kept battling as they recorded another 4-2 as the returning Gilkes took his first win, and with Mulford in an important 3rd, Redcar were within snapping distance at 26-22. However, Oxford are not play-off hopefuls for nothing as Boughen took an impressive victory over King, and with Jenkins 3rd, Oxford once again established a 6 point advantage. 

The Cheetahs then struck a seismic blow as Masters and Heeps combined to get the better of Jye Etheridge and Jason Edwards which gave Oxford a 10 point advantage. 

After a pair of shared heats won by Nicholls and Boughen respectively, Oxford hit another big blow to Redcar’s hopes in heat 13. With the Cheetahs on a 5-1, King hit the deck with the Bears number five hobbling from the track after medical attention. The restaging saw Wright hit the deck with all three riders invited back for the re-run. The third and final staging saw Oxford take a maximum to rub salt into Redcar wounds. 

However, the Bears kept battling and were sat on a 5-1 in heat 14 until Jenkins took a nasty tumble on bend four of the opening lap. The ex-Bear was excluded from the re-run but needed medical attention for a wrist injury. The restaging saw Mulford win, and with Edwards coming to the party in 2nd, Redcar were back within 10 of Oxford. 

The final race of the first leg saw Wright use all his experience to get the better of Masters and Nicholls for the win which set the tie up perfectly for tomorrow’s second leg at the ECCO Arena. 

Oxford Cheetahs = 50

1. Sam Masters = 12+1

2. Cameron Heeps = 5+1

3. Ashton Boughen = 10+1 

4. Jordan Jenkins = 5+1 

5. Scott Nicholls = 11+2

6. Luke Killeen = 3 

7. Jody Scott (G) = 4+1

Redcar Bears = 40

1. Charles Wright = 12

2. Dan Gilkes = 5+1

3. Jye Etheridge (G) = 4 

4. Jason Edwards = 3+1 

5. Danny King = 7

6. Ben Trigger = 0 

7. Jake Mulford = 9+1