Brilliant Bears beat Cheetahs!
The Redcar “Agilia” Bears stormed to a 41-49 away win at Oxford to record back to back away league wins. Sam Masters led the Oxford charge with 19+1 whilst Leon Flint struck an 11+1 maximum for Redcar.
The Bears secured all three league points with a convincing 83-97 aggregate success which strengthens the side’s play-off aspirations.
The Cheetahs skipper, Sam Masters opened proceedings with a heat win, but with Charles Wright passing Cameron Heeps for 3rd, the Bears shared the opening race.
The reserves race saw Redcar gate well, but with Jake Mulford and Ace Pijper being passed by Luke Killeen and Jacob Hook respectively, Oxford had an early lead on home shale. However, heat three saw Redcar hit back in some style as Jason Edwards won, and with Flint battling into 2nd, the visitors levelled matters.
Redcar moved into the lead as Danny King won his opening race comfortably, and with Pijper riding an intelligent line to hold off Francis Gusts, the Bears had a four point lead in Oxfordshire.
After Wright battled to the front to win a shared heat five, disaster struck for Mitch McDiarmid in the next race. Masters won, and with his countryman 3rd, Oxford looked set to hit back. However, McDiarmid’s chain snapped, allowing Mulford through for 3rd to give Redcar a shared heat.
Heat seven saw the Redcar engine room fire to another maximum heat advantage as Flint won, and with Edwards 2nd and in cruise control, the Oxford fans were left wondering if their side were already too far behind at 17-25.
However, Oxford hit back in heat eight as Masters (in as rider replacement) led yet again, and with Killeen storming past the Bears and then passing the team riding Masters to win the race, the Cheetahs cut the gap to four at Sandy Lane.
Nevertheless, Redcar immediately hit back as King won again, and with Mulford in a confidence boosting 3rd, Redcar were six ahead in their quest for back to back away wins.
Heat 10 saw Sam Masters only real support, Luke Killeen excluded for touching the tapes, with Jacob Hook replacing him. The re-run saw Flint ride a fantastic race to win and lower Masters’ colours, and with Edwards passing Hook for 3rd, the Bears were eight ahead.
With Oxford more than six down, Masters came out as a tactical substitute alongside Killeen. Masters gated to win, and when Killeen swooped past Wright for 2nd, Oxford looked to have hope. However, Wright blasted past Killeen to limit the damage and ensure Redcar still had a commanding lead.
Edwards completed his programmed rides as he stormed up the inside of Heeps to win a shared race which maintained Redcar’s handy six point lead.
Heat 13 saw Gusts fall on the first bend, with all four invited back for the re-run. The re-run saw Masters win despite strong pressure from King, but with Gusts last, the Bears had secured the aggregate point at the very least.
Heat 14 saw Redcar wrap up the win as the superb Flint completed his maximum for the win, and with the ever improving Pijper 3rd, the “Agilia” Bears had secured three league points with a heat to spare.
The final race saw Masters win to secure a paid 20 point haul, but with Edwards and Pijper comfortably seeing off Heeps, the Bears support had a fantastic away win to celebrate.
Oxford = 41
1. Sam Masters = 19+1
2. Jordan Jenkins R/R
3. Cameron Heeps = 6
4. Mitch McDiarmid = 2+2
5. Francis Gusts = 2
6. Luke Killeen = 10+1
7. Jacob Hook (G) = 2+1
Redcar = 49
1. Charles Wright = 7+2
2. Jody Scott = 2
3. Jason Edwards = 11+1
4. Leon Flint (G) = 11+1
5. Danny King = 10
6. Jake Mulford = 3+1
7. Ace Pijper = 5+2