Well, who would have thought it? Victory for JT/Fox Oxford Cheetahs over title-chasing Eastbourne, Martin Dugard and Co, writes John Gaisford.

Not too many Cheetahs fans, I suspect, as the Eagles led 43-41 going into the final heat with Joe Screen unbeaten in four races and the British GP champion Dugard lining up for the Eagles.

A share of the points would have been enough for Eastbourne to clinch victory and go top of the Elite League.

But few of us reckoned on the resolve of Todd Wiltshire and Jimmy Nilsen and the bravery of referee Rob Perks.

The Oxford pair are two of the best gaters in the league, but Wiltshire had been out-of-sorts on the night.

However, cometh the hour, cometh the men as the pair streaked into a 5-1 and went well clear before Dugard's high-speed crash at the start of the second lap.

The referee ruled that Dugard made no attempt to get up, thus creating a professional foul in the hope of a re-run.

I wasn't the only one amazed at the speed the official made his decision, and after just one lap! I have never come across it before.

Oxford were happy, but understandably, Eastbourne were not as, I suspect, Oxford would not have been, had the boot been on the other foot.

Referees supremo Graham Brodie to whom I chatted at the longtrack meeting at Dalton Barracks, said: "The rule was brought in to stop teams committing the professional foul, and Rob Perks was absolutely in his rights to award the race after one completed lap.

"Paul Hurry was indifferent about it, while Joe Screen, who was in the race, thought the ref was out of order and went on to say that Dugard had taken all the skin off his hand and feared a broken finger."

Oxford boss Steve Purchase, delighted that he had the biggest crowd for some time which resulted in a sell-out of programmes, said: "We have certainly had our fair share of decisions going against us this year, so it was nice to get one that was arguably in our favour."