Oxford Cheetahs 52, King's Lynn 38

By John Gaisford ALES Dryml, watched by his injured brother Lukas and dad Ales snr, scored his greatest ever victory in the Elite League when he out-gated and slaughtered Oxford track specialist Jason Crump in an easy romp for JT/Fox Oxford Cheetahs at the Stadium last night.

This thumping Elite League victory consolidated Oxford's lead at the top. They now take a well-earned rest before the next home meeting against Peterborough in a couple of weeks.

Both teams were forced to make changes following the high-speed crash at Saddlebow Road on Wednesday when Peter Karlsson suffered a dislocated thigh and Lukas Dryml was badly bruised and concussed.

Former Oxford favourite Craig Boyce stepped in for Dryml, while the Knights used a rider-replacement for Karlsson.

Oxford certainly came out best as 'Boycie' also notched a win over a below-par Crump.

Unlucky in the GP in Berlin, Nicki Pedersen got the Knights off to a cracker, but that man Ales Dryml, partnered by the ever-improving Andrew Appleton, smacked in a 5-1 and Cheetahs never looked back.

In heat four, Dryml exploded from the gate to send shock waves through the Knights camp as Crump was again reduced to a chasing role and never got near the Czech ace.

Crump showed a up a little better in heat six, but the 'Axeman' Brian Andersen picked up some tremendous drive coming out of the second bend, reducing the Aussie to a minor role.

Ten points behind after heat seven, the Knights brought in a double tactical substitution, but Todd Wiltshire and Dryml team-rode behind winner Pedersen.

Boyce and Steve Johnston looked set for a 5-1 in heat eight until Crump came off the last bend to take Johnston and almost catch Boyce in a driving finish.

Andersen was again in the ascendency in heat ten.

Victory was only a few minutes away, as straight after the break, another wonder ride from Dryml saw him come from last to second to join Boyce in a 5-1 to settle the issue with three heats to spare.

Heat 13 featured all four riders in the GP, and what a treat it was as Pedersen soon took control from Leigh Adams with Andersen in third and Crump busting to get through.

Crump took Andersen as Knights gained their first heat advantage of the night.

The visitors brought in their big guns in the penultimate heat as Pedersen

and Crump ruled the roost, and they were hoping for a repeat in the final heat.

But Adams launced a blistering gate to edge out Pedersen and fittingly won by the proverbial mile. Oxford: Adams 12, A Dryml 9+2, Boyce 9+1, Andersen 7+1, Wiltshire 7+1, Johnston 5, Appleton 3+1. 52 pts.

King's Lynn: Pedersen 18+1, Crump 11+1, Klingberg 7, Madsen 1, Makovsky 1, Eriksson 0. 38 pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Pedersen, Wiltshire, Andersen, Madsen. 60. 1 secs.

Heat 2: Dryml, Appleton, Makovsky, Eriksson. 60.2.

Heat 3: Klingberg, Johnston, Boyce, Madsen. 60.2.

Heat 4: Dryml, Crump, Adams, Makovsky. 58.6.

Heat 5: Pedersen, Boyce, Johnston, Madsen. 60.4.

Heat 6: Andersen, Crump, Wiltshire, Eriksson. 59.5.

Heat 7: Adams, Klingberg, Appleton, Makovsky (ret). 60.1.

Heat 8: Pedersen, Wiltshire, Dryml, Madsen. 60.7.

Heat 9: Boyce, Crump, Johnston, Eriksson. 61.0.

Heat 10: Andersen, Wiltshire, Klingberg, Eriksson. 61.2.

Heat 11: Adams, Pedersen, Madesn, Appleton. 60.7.

Heat 12: Boyce, Dryml, Klingberg, Madsen. 61.5.

Heat 13: Pedersen, Adams, Crump, Andersen.

Heat 14: Pedersen, Crump, Johnston, Appleton. 62.0.

Heat 15: Adams, Crump, Pedersen, Dryml 61.1.