Oxford Cheetahs 37, Coventry Bees 53

WHAT a night! The champagne flowed just like it did 12 years ago when Cheetahs last won a major trophy, and the fans turned out in force to celebrate their Elite League title triumph.

The atmosphere was tremendous with deafening klaxon horns, flags, banners, fancy wigs and hats making for a terrific night's entertainment.

The trophy was a long time coming for the Oxford fans, and if they felt in the end, it was an anti-climax, they certainly didn't show it.

Supporters were queueing before 6pm to make sure of their place in the stadium that saw the biggest turn-out for a speedway meeting since the eighties.

The fact that Coventry were the visitors just added to the derby atmosphere. The crowd was well over 3,000, but no actual figure was announced.

However, it just goes to show that fans will support a winning team. The Cheetahs pulled off the big one although they were soundly thrashed by the Bees last night.

Mind you, had the title depended on the outcome, I am sure the Oxford lads would have dug deeper.

At the presentations made by Sky Sports celebrity Kirsty Gallacher, the flour bombs were flying through the air. Very few riders escaped, and even promoter Vanessa Purchase received a direct hit! But nobody cared, it was that kind of night.

Presenter Richard Palmer, interviewing Ales Dryml, also received a direct hit from Vanessa as she joined in the fun in front of the cameras.

Cheetahs' main man Leigh Adams said: "To be fair it's been a good season, but a real grind for us as a team.

"Really, we should have tied up the league a long time ago. But a combination of Lukas getting injured and trying to run rider-replacements gave us big problems.

"It was nice to pull it off at Ipswich, because if we had to come here to win the title, it would have been a big event and Coventry are a very good side.

"It would have been tough to win here as you saw tonight and the pressure would have been enormous in front of our own fans. This is the first Elite League title for me and it's great to be part of it all."

Meanwhile, the little matter of the speedway action saw Coventry in a mood to show the home side that the title was only theirs for this year as they proceeded to dominate the meeting.

For Oxford, winning the meeting

appeared the last thing on their minds, but don't tell that to Adams.

He produced another masterful display of top class action. Some the moves he made had to be seen to be believed as went through the narrowest of gaps to shake off his rivals.

The rest all played bit parts except Lukas Dryml, who was never at the races and undergoes his long anticipated operation nest week.

The Bees despite Greg Hancock scoring only five were well served by track specialists Lee Richardson, Billy Hamill and Andreas Jonsson.

They won the opening heat 5-1 and never looked back sealing the victory and bonus point by heat 13. Oxford: Adams 14, Johnston 6+1, Wiltshire 5+1, Andersen 5+1, A Dryml 3+2, Appleton 3+1, L Dryml 0 37 pts.

Coventry: Richardson 14, Hamill 12, Jonsson 11+1, Janniro 9+1, Hancock 5+3, Lee 2. 53 pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Richardson, Hancock, Wiltshire, L Dryml. 60.8 secs.

Heat 2: (re-run) Janniro, Appleton, A Dryml (15 yards), Lee (f/exc). 60.9.

Heat 3: Jonsson, Andersen, Lee, Johnston (ret). 59.9.

Heat 4: Adams, A Dryml, Hamill, Janniro. 60.3.

Heat 5: Richardson, Hancock, Johnston, Andersen (ret). 60.1.

Heat 6: Hamill, Wiltshire, Lee, L Dryml. 60.9.

Heat 7: Jonsson, Adams, Appleton, Janniro. 59.8.

Heat 8: Richardson, Janniro, Adams (TS), A Dryml. 60.4.

Heat 9: Hamill, Johnston, Andersen, Lee. 60.4.

Heat 10: Janniro, Jonsson, Wiltshire, L Dryml. 61.6.

Heat 11: Adams, Richardson, Hancock, Appleton (f/rmtd). 59.8.

Heat 12: Jonsson, Andersen, Johnston (TS), Lee. 60.5.

Heat 13: Hamill, Adams, Wiltshire, Hancock. 60.8.

Heat 14: Richardson, Johnston, Janniro, Appleton. 61.4.

Heat 15: Adams, Hamill, Johnston, Richardson 60.1.