JT/FOX Oxford Cheetahs are making things tough for themselves and the fans as they battle to win the Sky Sports Elite League title.

Everything was going swimmingly not long ago, with a big lead and matches in hand, even though Lukas Dryml was out injured.

In Dryml's absence, the team were able to use guests and Leigh Adams, Todd Wiltshire, Brian Andersen and Steve Johnston as rider-replacements, which appeared to make Oxford a strong outfit.

Figures show that facilities while Dryml was out injured averaged 8.98 (9.79 at home and 7.00 away).

However, during May when he was injured, Dryml was averaging 9.71 at home and 9.45 away in those three meetings, so on that score, there wasn't much in it.

His comeback, just before the World Under 21 championship at Peterborough on Sunday was always on the cards.

He has lost none of the will to win, but it will take him several meetings to get back to what he was before his accident.

Everybody knew the run-in would be tough, and it started with the defeat at Poole, which wasn't totally unexpected.

A fighting performance at Peterborough, where they picked up two points, was superb, but they went and blotted their copybook with an almost unheard of home defeat against Eastbourne last Friday.

Another defeat followed at Coventry on Saturday and now Cheetahs are on the back foot.

Just two points from four meetings is hardly championship form and in the meantime, Coventry are making inroads on Cheetahs' lead. After their win at Brandon on Saturday, the Bees walloped Eastbourne 65-25 on Monday.

Oxford need another ten points to make sure of the title, but that could be less if any of the chasing pack drop or take points off each other.

Coventry and Ipswich have to meet twice, while Poole have two testing trips to Peterborough but have a ten and 16- point lead respectively for the bonus.

Oxford have chances to wrap up the title over the weekend if they beat Coventry tomorrow, Eastbourne on Saturday and Belle Vue on Monday.

To do that, they would have to take all three bonus points.

But by the look of the Ipswich fixture pile-up, it could be well into October before Cheetahs get a chance to ride there.