Oxford Spires v King’s Lynn Stars

Report

OXFORD swept King’s Lynn aside with a powerful start at Cowley to win 54-36 and keep their slim ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off hopes alive.

The Spires stormed into an 18-point lead after just five races, dropping only one point over that period, whilst the Stars improved after a delay caused by rain and resultant track work, and at least pegged their hosts.

Rohan Tungate led a solid-scoring Oxford effort with 11+1 and Charles Wright added 9+1 in their biggest win of the season, with Rising Star Luke Killeen impressing on 6+2.

Meanwhile Lynn skipper Niels-Kristian Iversen, who rode for Oxford early in his career two decades ago, led the visitors’ resistance with 14 points from seven rides.

Wright said: “The rain meant there was a lot of dirt, which I like. It was my sort of track, with lots of dirt and plenty of lines.

“We had a chat between us before the meeting – and it’s not over until it’s over. We’ve just got to look in front of us, and carry on winning our meetings until we’ve completed our meetings or it becomes impossible for us to qualify.

“Overall we’ve dug deep this year and we can be proud of ourselves, but it’s not over yet.”

Stars boss Rob Lyon said: “It was a terrible start, an awful start. We pulled it back a little bit, and with the depleted team we had it was probably a result we expected.

“Niels has been riding well for the last few weeks. He had a blip at home last week, but apart from that he’s been in double figures home and away, which is great – in the twilight of his career he’s hanging on in there and still doing it, and fair play to him.”

OXFORD 54 : Rohan Tungate 11+1, Charles Wright 9+1, Erik Riss 8+1, Maciej Janowski 8+1, Chris Harris 8, Luke Killeen 6+2, Ashton Boughen 4.
KING’S LYNN 36: Niels-Kristian Iversen 14, Norick Blodorn 8+1, Anders Rowe 6, Lewis Kerr 5, Jan Kvech 3+1, Patryk Wojdylo 0, Benjamin Basso r/r.

OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
Available here

Photo credit: STEVE EDMUNDS