PREVIEW: OXFORD v SCUNTHORPE (MAXiCab KO CUP)

OXFORD and Scunthorpe meet at Cowley tonight (Wednesday) in the quarter-finals of the newly renamed MAXiCab Knockout Cup.

The Cheetahs were runners-up in the competition last year whilst the Scorpions took the silverware in 2023.

Dan Gilkes, Jonas Knudsen and Mitch McDiarmid all make their debuts for the home side, who have a different look about them in 2025 due to the injury of former skipper Scott Nicholls, whilst Steve Worrall takes over at No.1 for the visitors who also include Zaine and Declan Kennedy at reserve, the latter racing in the UK for the first time.

Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “I feel there is plenty of room for improvement in the Cheetahs and I’m confident that the side can be successful.

“Obviously, after the injury to Scott, the team has been built in a different way. This season it’s more up to the team as a whole to contribute points and back up Sam (Masters).

“Mitch is a bit of an unknown quantity, but we can see what he’s already done at a young age and he looks very promising. Cheetahs will do Luke (Killeen) the world of good.

“I won’t set a points target for the first leg of the cup against Scunthorpe. We just need to score as many points as we can, before we head up there for the second leg next month.”

OXFORD: Sam Masters, Jonas Knudsen, Jordan Jenkins, Dan Gilkes, Cameron Heeps, Mitch McDiarmid, Luke Killeen.

SCUNTHORPE: Steve Worrall, Luke Harrison, Simon Lambert, Connor Mountain, Jake Allen, Declan Kennedy, Zaine Kennedy.

SCB Referee: Wayne Jarvis

LIVE STREAMING: https://livestream.oxfordspeedway.club/