Bold Cheetahs kick Pirates overboard!

OXFORD Cheetahs zoomed to the top of their Craven Shield group with this thrilling victory over the Pirates at the Stadium last night.

Cheetahs had little answer to the visitors top duo of Mark Loram and Scott Nicholls, but had the measure of the rest of the Pirates on a night of some terrific speedway action.

There was an off-night for Jimmy Nilsen, but the rest of the team weighed in with priceless points, with Mark Lemon taking the rider-of-the-night award.

Poole's world champion Mark Loram received a great welcome on his lap in the open topped Oxford speedway jeep, before tearing the home side apart in his first two rides.

He went on to score a brilliant paid 15 point maximum.

While Loram wasn't required to use his trademark all-out racing early on, there was plenty elsewhere as first Brian Andersen took Gary Havelock to join Steve Johnston for a maximum, and then Lukas Dryml did well to relegate Emil Lindqvist to last place.

However, the race of the night came in heat five where Johnston led the exciting Nicholls for most of the race before the England international swooped on the last bend for a cracking victory.

Oxford edged ahead 27-21 after eight heats thanks to Lemon's victory, but the Pirates camp acted swiftly to plug the gap by bringing in Nicholls to partner Loram in heat nine.

The world champion was at his poaching best as he tracked Andersen for three and a half laps before coming through with a measured pass on the final lap to join Nicholls for a 5-1. Oxford to hit back in kind to regain their six-point lead at the break.

Cheetahs pair of Jimmy Nilsen and Ales Dryml were caught napping after the restart as the Pirate's new signing Greg Walasek and Nicholls blitzed the gate to romp home.

The fortunes continued to ebb and flow as each side were picking up alternate 5-1's as Johnston and Lukas Dryml delivered.

A feature was Dryml's recovery to regain the lead over Havelock in heat 12.

The crucial penultimate heat was all down to Andersen and Ales Dryml. Poole's Lars Gunnestad led before Andersen swooped to flash by and with Ales Dryml in third, it was enough for the Cheetahs fans to start celebrating. Oxford: Johnston 9, Lemon 8+2, Wiltshire 8+1, Andersen 7+2, Nilsen 5, A Dryml 5, L Dryml 4+2. 46 pts.

Poole: Nicholls 15+1, Loram 14+1, Havelock 5, Walasek 4+1, Gunnestad 3+1,

Rossiter 1+1, Lindqvist 2 44 pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Nicholls, Wiltshire, Lemon, Walasek. 59.6 secs.

Heat 2: A Dryml, Lindqvist, Rossiter, L Dryml. 60.2.

Heat 3: Johnston, Andersen, Havelock, Gunnestad. 59.9.

Heat 4: Loram, Nilsen, L Dryml, Lindqvist. 59.2.

Heat 5: Nicholls, Johnston, Andersen, Walasek. 60.1.

Heat 6: Loram, Lemon, Wiltshire, Rossiter. 59.8.

Heat 7: Nilsen, Havelock, Gunnestad, A Dryml. 60.4.

Heat 8: Lemon, Walasek, L Dryml, Lindqvist. 61.1.

Heat 9: Nicholls, Loram, Andersen, Johnston. 60.5.

Heat 10: Wiltshire, Lemon, Havelock, Gunnestad. 60.9.

Heat 11: Nicholls, Walasek, A Dryml, Nilsen. 60.8.

Heat 12: Johnston, L Dryml, Havelock, Rossiter. 61.8.

Heat 13: Loram, Wiltshire, Nicholls, Nilsen. 60.3.

Heat 14: Andersen, Gunnestad, A Dryml, Lindqvist. 61.2.

Heat 15: Loram, Nicholls, Johnston, Wiltshire. 60.5.