CHEETAHS CHARGE ON

OXFORD kept up their 100 per cent record in the Cab Direct Championship with a 46-44 win at Berwick taking them back to the top of the table.

The Cheetahs overcame the loss of Lewis Kerr with a knee injury in a Heat 1 crash to still secure victory at Shielfield Park, with their top two of Scott Nicholls and Sam Masters both in top form.

Nicholls scored 13 and Masters 11+1, and both were unbeaten until the Bandits took a consolation 5-1 in Heat 15, whilst reserve Henry Atkins again made a vital contribution with nine points.

Meanwhile the Bandits were left to rue a spark plug failure for Thomas Jorgensen on the last lap of Heat 7 which turned a 3-3 into an Oxford 5-1. Leon Flint top-scored for the hosts with 10+2.

Oxford boss Peter Schroeck said: “I couldn’t be happier with the team’s performance tonight. We knew we were capable of getting the win, but Berwick is a tricky place to go given it’s a specialist track.

“That only makes the win feel sweeter. It was a big blow to lose Lewi in the first race, but the team pulled together to get over the line.

“I’m not the one to pick out individual performances as this is a team sport, but Henry really came to the fore towards the end of the meeting. He has come on leaps and bounds in recent weeks and those two race wins towards the end will make the drive home feel that bit shorter.”

Berwick manager Kevin Little said: “It is hard to point the finger at anyone as even those who were struggling for points put a lot of effort in.

“Nobody has pushed Oxford this close in the Championship so there is plenty to be positive about despite the result.

“The decision to rerun Heat 13 even though Sam Masters had handicapped himself by moving proved costly, while TJ’s breakdown was one of those things you couldn’t have predicted.

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Photo credit: TAZ McDOUGALL