PREVIEW: OXFORD v POOLE (CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP)
OXFORD host Poole tonight (Wednesday) in the meeting which will set the target at the top of the Cab Direct Championship table.
The Pirates are the current leaders and they head the standings by just one point heading into their final regular fixture, whilst rivals Glasgow still have three matches to go.
The visitors also bring a six-point advantage over the Cheetahs for the aggregate point after a controversial clash at Wimborne Road three weeks ago.
Oxford, who also complete their league campaign tonight, have Jacob Hook guesting for the suspended Francis Gusts as they look to end with back-to-back home wins ahead of semi-finals in other competitions next month, whilst Poole operate rider replacement for the injured Tobias Thomsen.
Pirates promoter Dan Ford said: “They might well be out of the chase, but if I know anything about (Oxford boss) Peter Schroeck it is that he will have his side fired up, especially after the drubbing we gave them last week in the BSN semi-final.
“For this league match we do not have that many points in hand as far as the aggregate point is concerned, just six, and that will take some defending at Cowley.
“It effectively means we will need to be on our A- game if we are to move off the 28 league points we have accumulated so far. That at least means we have to go into the meeting believing it is a must-win affair, and in some respects that helps with the mindset.”
Schroeck said: “We started to build up some momentum with our victory over Workington at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Sunday. We want to keep that going on Wednesday, plus it would be nice to conclude our league fixtures with a victory.
“We want to take all three points from Poole, especially after the way our league match ended at Wimborne Road. We want to turn that negative into a positive by sending the Pirates home empty-handed on Wednesday evening.”
OXFORD: Sam Masters, Jacob Hook, Jordan Jenkins, Mitch McDiarmid, Cameron Heeps, Luke Killeen, Jonas Knudsen.
POOLE: Richard Lawson, Tobias Thomsen R/R, Lewis Kerr, Zach Cook, Anders Rowe, Paul Starke, Will Cairns.
SCB Referee: Phil Griffin
*LIVE STREAMING: https://livestream.oxfordspeedway.club/
