Poole 48, Oxford 41

GRESHAM Oxford Cheetahs' play-off hopes were badly damaged last night when they were soundly beaten by the bottom team in speedway's Elite League.

Things were always going to be difficult for Cheetahs without the injured Paul Hurry.

With Poole's new signing Gary Havelock making his debut, the Pirates were clearly up for the contest, and the Cheetahs were easy prey.

The track was greasy early on, and the Cheetahs were struggling to make the starts, allowing the home side to build up a massive 17-point lead.

Heat four saw the start of Oxford's bad fortune, when Todd Wiltshire slid off trying to go around the outside on the first bend.

In the re-run, there appeared to be contact between Poole reserve Magnus Zetterstrom and Jan Staechmann going into the first turn. Strangely, Staechmann was excluded, much to his disgust, despite paying a personal visit to the referee's box.

Cheetahs didn't come alive until heat nine, when team boss Martin Goodwin put out a double tactical substitute of Todd Wiltshire and Jason Crump, who secured a 5-1.

Wiltshire won heat ten and came out again in heat 12, where he waited until the last bend before powering around the outside of Craig Boyce.

Cheetahs had reduced the deficit to just seven and the large band of travelling supporters had the feeling they might snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Heat 13 did not disappoint with the outstanding Crump powering around the outside of Ryan Sullivan, while an excellent ride from Staechmann saw him hold off the electric-starting Kelvin Tatum.

There were just five points in it with two heats to go, before the powerful partnership of Mark Lemon and Craig Boyce sealed the match with a superb 5-1.

The Cheetahs' roadshow moves tonight on to Foxhall Heath, Ipswich, where they take on the league champions elect.

Cheetahs have drafted in ex-Witches star Sam Tesar as a guest.

Poole: Sullivan 13, Havelock 9+1, Tatum 9, Boyce 6+1, Lemon 7+1, Zetterstrom 4+1. 48pts.

Oxford: Crump 17+1, Wiltshire 11, Staechmann 8+1, Schofield 5+2, Johnston 0, Hurry R/R. 41pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Sullivan, Crump, Havelock, Johnston 60.2 secs. Heat 2: Lemon, Staechmann, Schofield, Zetterstrom 59.5. Heat 3: Boyce, Wiltshire, Sullivan, Johnston 61.1. Heat 4: Tatum, Zetterstrom, Staechmann (ex), Wiltshire (ex) 61.1. Heat 5: Havelock, Crump, Boyce, Johnston 60.5. Heat 6: Sullivan, Havelock, Staechmann, Johnston 61.2. Heat 7: Crump, Tatum, Zetterstrom, Johnston 61.2. Heat 8: Havelock, Staechmann, Zetterstrom, Johnston 61.2. Heat 9: Wiltshire, Crump, Tatum, Boyce 61.1. Heat 10: Wiltshire, Sullivan, Schofield, Havelock 61.5. Heat 11: Tatum, Crump, Staechmann, Lemon (f) 61.4. Heat 12: Wiltshire, Schofield, Zetterstrom, Boyce 62.2. Heat 13: Crump, Sullivan, Schofield, Tatum 61.4. Heat 14: Lemon, Boyce, Staechmann, Wiltshire 61.9. Heat 15: Crump, Sullivan, Staechmann, Havelock 61.7.

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