Oxford oust Bears
Redcar were defeated 53-36 by Oxford after a strong team performance from the Cheetahs. The hosts turned on the style in the middle of the meeting to take control of the Cab Direct Championship clash. Oxford’s Sam Masters hit paid 14 for his side whilst Charles Wright hit paid 12 for the battling Bears.
The Cheetahs got off to the perfect start with a 5-1 in the opening heat as Sam Masters trapped for the win with Cameron Heeps rolling back the years to produce a brilliant defensive ride to hold off Wright and give the hosts an early 4 point advantage.
Heat 2 saw the Bears open their heat winners account as Jake Mulford impressively passed Luke Killeen in the early stages of the last lap to take the win, but with Ben Trigger at the back, Redcar remained 4 behind. The third race saw Redcar hit their first heat advantage as the ever improving Redcar guest, Dan Thompson won, and with Connor Bailey in 3rd, Redcar cut the gap to 2 in Oxfordshire.
The Bears then took the lead after a superb maximum in heat 4 as Michael Palm-Toft won after a superb gate, whilst Ben Trigger took, arguably, the biggest scalp of his career, to hold off Scott Nicholls for the paid win, much to the delight of the Redcar support and promotion. After track grading, Luke Killeen gated and rode superbly for much of the race until Wright did what he does best and passed the Oxford reserve around the outside to take the win, but with Jordan Jenkins ahead of Knudsen in the battle for 3rd, Redcar could not extend their slim lead.
The Cheetahs began to make their move, which began with a 5-1 in heat six as Heeps, (yet to be beaten by a Redcar rider) took the chequered flag, and with Masters dealing with Palm-Toft in the early stages, Oxford took a 2 point lead of their own heading into heat seven. Heat 7 saw some controversy with most onlookers believing Nicholls moved at the start but the referee allowed the race to continue. The 3rd bend of the opening lap then saw Dan Thompson collide with the back wheel of Nicholls with the Brit excluded from the re-run. The re-run saw Killeen and Nicholls team ride for a 5-1 to extend the hosts advantage to 6.
Heat 8 saw Knudsen gate until the impressive young talent of Ashton Boughen passed the Bears man on lap 2, and with Heeps flying around the outside of the Bears number 2 on the run to the line, the Cheetahs took a stranglehold on proceedings. After a Redcar tactical substitute was negated by a superb heat win from Boughen in a shared race, the Cheetahs showed their home track knowledge as Masters and Heeps team rode to block every attempt from Dan Thompson to record a 5-1 to send Oxford into a 14 point lead on home shale.
With heat 11 being shared after a win by Nicholls, Heeps was left rueing his luck after he hit a wet patch (water bowser malfunction) whilst leading heat 12 with the race being stopped in the interests of safety. The re-run saw Redcar supporters scratching their heads at their side’s fortune as Connor Bailey looked set for a comfortable win until the British U21 Champion suffered mechanical problems and thus retired from the race which gave Killeen the heat win, despite the best efforts of Jake Mulford in 2nd.
The thirteenth race saw Masters and Nicholls combine for a big home 5-1 to officially confirm the win on home shale. Nevertheless, the Bears kept battling and gated on a 5-1 in heat 14. However, Jenkins hit the deck whilst attempting to pass Trigger around the outside on bend 2 of the opening lap which saw all 4 riders being invited back for a re-run. The re-run saw Thompson win, but Trigger was passed exiting bend 2 by both Cheetahs, and despite the Bears reserves best efforts, he could not separate the Oxford duo. Heat 15 saw some consolation for the Bears supporters as Wright lowered the colours of Masters to win, and with Dan Thompson in 3rd, Redcar ended the match with a well deserved heat advantage.
Oxford Cheetahs = 53
1. Sam Masters = 13+1
2. Cameron Heeps = 9+3
3. Henry Atkins R/R = 5
4. Jordan Jenkins = 5+1
5. Scott Nicholls = 8+2
6. Ashton Boughen = 8+2
7. Luke Killeen = 10
8. Jason Garrad = 0
Redcar Bears = 36
1. Charles Wright = 11+1
2. Jonas Knudsen = 2+1
3. Connor Bailey = 2
4. Dan Thompson (G) = 8
5. Michael Palm Toft (G) = 6
6. Jake Mulford = 5
7. Ben Trigger = 2+1