Peterborough 51,

Oxford 39

GRESHAM Oxford Cheetahs were brought back down to earth with a bump when they were savaged by a rampant Peterborough Panthers in speedway's Craven Shield at the East of England Showground yesterday.

The visitors got off to a dreadful start when Todd Wiltshire totally missed the gate in heat one, leaving the Panthers with a 4-2.

By heat 11, Panthers had built up a ten-point advantage and after the interval, two more 4-2s for the home side wrapped things up.

Cheetahs saved the best till last when Craig Boyce lined up against Jason Crump for the six-lap final heat.

The Australian pair gated together, with Boyce just holding the advantage on the first bend.

Crump tried everything he knew to get past but Boyce rode superbly to secure his win, much to the pleasure of the large Oxford contingent.

Peterborough: J Crump 14, M Jirout 2, S Tesar 6+2, J Andersen 7+1, R Sullivan 6, N Sadler 2+1, D Howe 14.

Oxford: T Wiltshire 9+1, J Staechmann 1+1, S Johnston 2+2, P Hurry 9, C Boyce 14+1, L Hare 1, A Rossiter 3. HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Crump, Wiltshire, Jirout, Staechmann 63.0 secs.

Heat 2: Howe, Sadler, Hare, Rossiter 64.0.

Heat 3: Hurry, Andersen, Tesar, Johnston 63.8.

Heat 4: Boyce, Howe, Rossiter, Sullivan 63.1.

Heat 5: Andersen, Tesar, Wiltshire, Staechmann (ef) 64.0.

Heat 6: Crump, Boyce, Jirout, Hare 64.6.

Heat 7: Sullivan, Hurry, Johnston, Sadler 63.9.

Heat 8: Howe, Wiltshire, Staechmann, Jirout 64.6.

Heat 9: Boyce, Tesar, Andersen, Hare 64.6.

Heat 10: Crump, Hurry, Johnston, Jirout 63.8.

Heat 11: Sullivan, Rossiter, Wiltshire, Sadler 65.0.

Heat 12: Howe, Hurry, Tesar, Johnston 65.6.

Heat 13: Crump, Wiltshire, Boyce, Sullivan 64.8.

Heat 14: Howe, Boyce, Andersen, Hurry 64.9.

Heat 15: Boyce, Crump, Wiltshire, Howe 97.2.

Story date: Tuesday 06 April

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