KILLEEN RULED OUT OF CUP FINAL

OXFORD will be without in-form reserve Luke Killeen for next week’s Cab Direct KO Cup Final clashes with Poole.

Killeen suffered concussion during the Cheetahs’ Grand Final defeat to the Pirates, which rules him out for 12 days and it means they now have three riders on the injury list.

Dan Gilkes will continue to guest for Jordan Jenkins against the Pirates, and Jack Smith has been booked to deputise for Killeen.

Meanwhile Adam Roynon’s place will be taken by Ben Trigger at Poole and Connor Coles in the second leg at Oxford, with regular stand-in Jody Scott also feeling the effects of a heavy crash at Wimborne Road.

Manager Peter Schroeck said: “Of course, we were all very deflated after the meeting at Poole. But I feel it’s now time to draw a line under the events of Wednesday night and stay afresh in the Final of the Cab Direct Knockout Cup.

“We’ve booked the very best guests available to us, while we’ve also booked riders who will give it 100 per cent for Cheetahs, as if they were riding for their own club.

“We want to finish on a high in the Cup Final, because I very much believe the Monarch Cheetahs deserve to win some silverware this season.”