GRESHAM Oxford Cheetahs bring down the curtain on a disappointing season when they host Ipswich Witches in an Elite League speedway encounter at Oxford Stadium tonight (7.30).

They will be out to stop a run that has brought eight defeats and a draw in the last nine meetings, but it will be anything but easy against a Witches side hell-bent on trying to notch third place in the league.

There is also the small matter of finishing ahead of near neighbours King's Lynn, where there is intense rivalry.

The visitors will be led by England international Chris Louis, who despite two nasty crashes recently, takes his place at No 1.

Louis fell in the World Team Cup, sustaining neck and rib injuries, and then was involved in a spectaclar spill with brother-in-law Mark Loram in the 16-lapper at Foxhall. There he suffered whiplash injuries after demolishing six fencing panels. There will no Tomasz Gollob though, even though he proved his fitness with a 15-pointer in the Polish League at the weekend. The Witches bring in Ronnie Correy for Gollob and Danny Bird for Jason Bunyan.

With many of the Oxford side unlikely to return for Cheetahs next season, it may be the last chance for fans to see their particlar hero.

Oxford: Boyce, Staechmann, Hurry, Johnston, Wiltshire, Hare, Rossiter.

Ipswich: Louis, Clouting, Svab, Topinka, Correy, Woddifield, Bird.

Story date: Friday 15 October

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.