CHEETAHS TOP WITH ONE TO GO

OXFORD are back on top of the Cab Direct Championship after a hard-fought 50-40 win over play-off bound Scunthorpe at Cowley.

The league leadership will now be decided in Scotland this week with the Cheetahs on 33 points ahead of their final regular match at Glasgow on Friday, whilst Poole are on 32 and visit Edinburgh tonight (Wednesday).

Peter Schroeck’s side were made to work hard for their points against Scunthorpe. Although Scorpions never led the hosts, they did come from ten points behind to trail Cheetahs by only two points with four heats to go.

Home heat leaders Sam Masters (13) and Lewis Kerr (11) led the way as Oxford pulled clear, whilst Ryan Douglas piled up 14 for the visitors.

Schroeck said: “We knew Scunthorpe are capable of putting in a big performance and so that proved tonight.

“They’ve gone under the radar this season and I’d expect them to cause an upset or two when the play-offs come around. From our point of view, it was another solid team performance from one to seven.”

Douglas said: “I was happy with my own night. I was here a few days ago in the Pairs and that prepared me well for tonight. They’ve got a strong top three, so there’s never an easy race against Oxford, but once I start making some starts, I had a good evening.

“Oxford are obviously a strong side because they went back to the top of the table tonight, but we pushed them at their own track, and our away form hasn’t always been as strong in previous seasons.”

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Photo credit: LES AUBREY