REJUVENATED Oxford 'Gresham' Cheetahs made another big stride towards reaching the Elite League play-offs last night, when they beat the Kings Lynn Knights 50-40on their home territory for the second time this season, writes LEON HILL.

Cheetahs took the lead from the start, lost it for one heat, and then regained it straightaway.

The Knights battled hard, but the Cheetahs just had too much power and the home side ran out of steam going into the last three heats.

Heat one saw Oxford take the lead, with a superb win from newly crowned British Grand Prix champion Jason Crump, ahead of Shane Parker.

The Knights hit straight back, with a 5-1 courtesy of Bo Brhel and Ben Howe. It was a superb race for Howe who gated last and then fought his way through.

It turned out to be a night of 5-1 heats as Oxford hit straight back in heat three over a clearly unfit Simon Wigg.

Cheetahs then had two more 5-1s, giving them a ten-point lead after five heats.

Knights broke back in heat six, with a 5-1 of their own over old teammate Paul Hurry, who tried everything to split them up, but to no avail. The next two heats were shared before the Knights gained a 4-2 advantage in heat nine to bring the difference down to just four points.

Heat ten saw Hurry once again shoot through the middle of Shane Parker and Knights' guest Jason Lyons to share the points.

An awkward looking fall for Brhel in heat 11 gave the Cheetahs another 4-2, and a handy six-point advantage into the interval.

Heat 12 saw a continuation of the Knights' fightback. However, Cheetahs then took control with a superb 5-1 in heat 13 which had Hurry squeezing by Tomas Topinka in what was his best ever ride for the Cheetahs.

With a 4-2 in heat 14, the Knights' fate was sealed. Kings Lynn: B Brhel 10+1, S Parker 10+1, J Lyons 8+1, T Topinka 8, B Howe 2+1, S Wigg 2. 40.

Oxford: J Crump 15, P Hurry 13+1, S Johnston 9+3, Staechmann 9+1, T Wiltshire 3+1, S Schofield 1. 50.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Crump, Parker, Johnston, Lyons 62.3. Heat 2: Brhel, Howe, Schofield, Staechmann 62.7. Heat 3: Johnston, Wiltshire, Parker, Wigg 62.4. Heat 4: Hurry, Staechmann, Topinka, Howe 62.4. Heat 5: Crump, Johnston, Lyons, Wigg 62.0. Heat 6: Lyons, Parker, Hurry, Schofield 62.0. Heat 7: Crump, Topinka, Brhel, Wiltshire 62.7. Heat 8: Brhel, Hurry, Wigg, Schofield 62.1. Heat 9: no details available. Heat 10: Hurry, Parker, Lyons, Wiltshire 62.1. Heat 11: Crump, Topinka, Johnston, Brhel (f-ex) (awarded). Heat 12: Brhel, Staechmann, Wigg, Wiltshire 62.6. Heat 13: Crump, Hurry, Topinka, Parker 62.5. Heat 14: Staechmann, Topinka, Wiltshire, Brhel 63.2. Heat 15: Parker, Hurry, Johnston, Topinka 63.6.

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