Poole Pirates v Oxford Cheetahs

Report

OXFORD smashed Poole’s two year plus home winning run with a sensational 49-41 victory at Wimborne Road in the Cab Direct Championship.

It was the Pirates’ first defeat on their own track since June 2022 and it brought to an end a 42-match sequence of victories at the Dorset venue – and it was only the second time in history that the Cheetahs had won a league match there.

Reserve Luke Killeen was the hero for the visitors with a brilliant 11+3 haul from five rides, and he clinched the win by collecting a 5-1 with Jordan Jenkins in Heat 14.

Sam Masters added 10+1 for the visitors for whom all seven of their riders won at least one race, whilst Poole captain Ben Cook totalled 16+1 from six rides.

Killeen said: “I’m so happy with my performance tonight. I had a good set-up from the get-go and I just kept my cool. I’m stoked and over the moon – it couldn’t have gone any better.

“It’s great to be the first away team to win at Poole in over two years – that’s a nice feat to take away. There’s always a great team atmosphere on our side of the pits and we worked together to win the meeting.”

Pirates No.1 Richard Lawson said: “I didn’t see our unbeaten record going like that, no excuses – but I still think we should have won that meeting, but we let it slip.

“The fact is we weren’t really in control after the first few heats but again, no excuses. We got beat by the better team on the night, and maybe this is the wake-up call we need, as we are getting to the business end of the season and performances like that aren’t good enough.

“So I am going to give myself a kick up the backside and hope the others do the same.”

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP
POOLE 41: Ben Cook 16+1, Tom Brennan 9, Richard Lawson 7, Zach Cook 5+2, Sam Hagon 2+1, Tobias Thomsen 1, Jacob Hook 1
OXFORD 49: Luke Killeen 11+3, Sam Masters 10+1, Scott Nicholls 9, Jordan Jenkins 8, Ashton Boughen 5+1, Cameron Heeps 3, Paul Starke 3
Oxford win aggregate point

OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
Available here

Photo credit: ANTHONY BURCHELL