Poole Pirates 47, Oxford Cheetahs 43

Oxford Cheetahs came close to qualifying for the Craven Shield final at Poole last night but missed out in the final couple of heats, writes Leon Hill.

Once again, the racing was straight out of the top drawer, with all of the riders fighting for every point.

Pirates took the first heat before Cheetahs hit back with a vengeance as Ales and Lukas Dryml team-rode to perfection for a maximum heat win.

Poole levelled things up in heat three and it stayed that way until Todd Wiltshire and Mark Lemon put Cheetahs two points up again in heat five.

Ales Dryml won heat six and with Jimmy Nilsen in third place, Cheetahs stretched their lead to four, only for the home side to bring the scores back level by heat eight.

The heats swung first Oxford's way and then Poole's until heat 14 when Cheetahs' problems really started. The Pirates' pairing of Walasek and Rosco gated, and although the latter fell, there was no catching Walasek, which meant Cheetahs went into the final heat two points down.

Wiltshire and Brian Andersen made a decent gate but when Andersen's machine gave up the ghost on the first lap, it was all over.

Oxford now have to win at Eastbourne by at least 12 points if they are to qualify.