Ipswich 63, Oxford 27

GRESHAM Oxford Cheetahs' miserable week continued at Ipswich last night, where they were dealt their heaviest Elite Speedway League defeat of the season.

Cheetahs excelled when they visited Foxhall Heath back in May, and remain the only team to have taken the Witches to a last-heat decider on their home soil.

But things were very different this time, with Cheetahs managing only one heat advantage all night.

Things started badly when Jason Crump could not get past the electric-gating Chris Louis and teammate Scott Nicholls and by Heat five, Cheetahs were 12 points down.

Cheetahs' moment of glory came when Todd Wiltshire gated like a dream and Crump joined him for a superb 5-1 in heat six.

Heat eight also went to Wiltshire but hopes that he would become Cheetahs' saviour - as he was at Poole 24 hours earlier - were soon dashed as the Witches smacked in two consecutive 5-1s and went on to triumph in style. Cheetahs hope to salvage something from the week when they take on the Eastbourne Eagles at Oxford Stadium tonight (7.45). George Stancl will guest for Paul Hurry, who has decided to ride in the Inter-Continental Final despite injury.

Ipswich: Louis 13+3, Nicholls 10+2, Rickardsson 15, Gollob 15+1, Clouting 2+1, Svab 8+3. 63pts.

Oxford: Crump 11+1, Tesar 1+1, Wiltshire 8, Johnston 2, Schofield 1+1, Staechmann 4. 27pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Louis, Nicholls, Crump, Tesar 60.3 secs. Heat 2: Svab, Staechmann, Schofield, Clouting 60.9. Heat 3: Rickardsson, Louis, Wiltshire, Tesar 59.7. Heat 4: Gollob, Svab, Staechmann, Johnston 60.3. Heat 5: Rickardsson, Crump, Nicholls, Tesar 59.1. Heat 6: Louis, Nicholls, Johnston, Schofield 60.6. Heat 7: Wiltshire, Crump, Gollob, Clouting 60.7. Heat 8: Wiltshire, Nicholls, Svab, Staechmann 60.6. Heat 9: Rickardsson, Gollob, Johnston, Schofield 60.2. Heat 10: Nicholls, Louis, Crump, Wiltshire 60.5. Heat 11: Gollob, Crump, Tesar, Clouting (ex) 60.3. Heat 12: Rickardsson, Svab, Wiltshire, Staechmann 60.1. Heat 13: Gollob, Louis, Crump, Johnston 60.0. Heat 14: Rickardsson, Clouting, Staechmann, Wiltshire 60.4. Heat 15: Gollob, Crump, Louis, Wiltshire 60.9.

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