Battling Bears beat Cheetahs!
Redcar kicked off their Cab Direct Championship league campaign with a battling 48-42 win over the Oxford Cheetahs. Erik Riss struck paid 12 for the “Agilia” Bears whilst Sam Masters hit 13 for Oxford.
Redcar had to battle from behind to take the win with the Cheetahs proving an as expected tough test. Redcar secured the spoils in heat 14 as Jody Scott and Danny King negated Oxford’s tactical substitute Sam Masters with some superb team riding to pack the minor placings and ensure a shared race which gave Redcar the all-important win.
The meeting started with Oxford’s Sam Masters and their guest, Sam Hagon both made the gate to hit the front. However, Charles Wright battled past Hagon entering the final lap to limit the damage as Oxford opened proceedings with a 4-2 heat advantage.
The Cheetahs doubled their early lead in heat two as their Australian reserve Mitch McDiarmid opened his ECCO Arena account with a heat win ahead of Redcar’s impressive debutant Jody Scott, and with Luke Killeen in 3rd, the visitors had the upper hand.
However, Redcar hit back in heat three as Danny King took a tapes to flag win, and with Jason Edwards getting the better of Oxford’s guest Danyon Hume on lap two, the Bears had their first heat advantage to cut the deficit to two points on Teesside.
Nevertheless, Oxford re-established their four point lead with their 3rd 4-2 of the meeting in heat four as the impressive Luke Killeen held off Erik Riss for a superb win, and with Jordan Jenkins in 3rd for Oxford, the Cheetahs were in the driving seat.
Heat five saw the ever improving Edwards pass one of the stars of the Cab Direct Championship, Sam Masters on the first lap for the lead, with the Redcar asset riding an extremely intelligent race for the win, and with King 3rd, Redcar were back within two of the Cheetahs.
After a pair of shared races won by Wright and Riss respectively, Redcar hit the front for the first time in heat eight as Jake Mulford (after a change of bike) took a superb win, and with Scott riding beyond his years to get the better of Hagon, the Bears had the momentum.
Redcar’s momentum continued in heat nine as the hosts picked up another maximum as King took his second chequered flag, and with Edwards joining the Redcar star at the front, the hosts had a six point lead at the ECCO Arena.
However, Oxford again fought back with their fourth heat advantage (all 4-2’s) as Francis Gusts headed home Wright for an impressive win, and with Hume passing Mulford for 3rd, Oxford were back within striking distance of the “Agilia” Bears.
After Masters and Edwards won a pair of shared races, heat 13 saw Riss pass Masters on the outside on lap one for an important win, and with Wright in an important 3rd, Redcar had a six point advantage with two races remaining, but the Cheetahs were in tactical territory.
Predictably, Oxford boss Peter Schroeck played his tactical card by bringing in Masters to partner Gusts in an attempt to haul the Cheetahs right back into contention. However, despite Gusts winning the race, King and Scott team rode to perfection to repel Masters and secure the two league points for Redcar, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The final heat saw Masters bounce back with a win, but with Gusts running a last, Redcar had a six point win which they will defend in early August at Oxford for the aggregate point.
Redcar boss Gavin Parr was delighted with the performance of Redcar’s new reserve Jody Scott. Parr said, ” Jody rode brilliantly, he didn’t get fazed in heat 14 that Sam Masters was behind him and he rode that race perfectly alongside Danny (King).”
Redcar Bears = 48
- Charles Wright = 8
- Jake Mulford = 3
- Jason Edwards = 9+1
- Danny King = 10+1
- Erik Riss = 11+1
- Jody Scott = 7+2
- Ace Pijper = 0
Oxford Cheetahs = 42
- Sam Masters = 13
- Sam Hagon (G) = 2
- Danyon Hume (G) = 4+1
- Francis Gusts = 9+1
- Jordan Jenkins = 3
- Mitch McDiarmid = 7+1
- Luke Killeen = 4