TWO late 5-1s from Scott Nicholls and Sam Masters secured a 51-39 victory for Oxford Cheetahs in their home Championship win over Plymouth Gladiators.
Cheetahs were only four points ahead with three heats remaining, but the two maximum heat advantages killed off the challenge by the Gladiators.
Third-placed Cheetahs moved to within a point of second-placed Scunthorpe Scorpions, despite having three matches in hand.
More significantly, they are six points clear of the two teams directly below them (Redcar Bears and Workington Comets), despite Cheetahs again having fixtures in hand.
The top four qualify for the play-offs, and Cheetahs are well on course at the moment.
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Gladiators gave Cheetahs plenty to think about though at Sandy Lane, and only league leaders Poole Pirates have scored more points at Oxford Stadium this season in a league encounter against the Cheetahs.
Dan Thompson was excellent value and scored 15 points from six rides, though he had no answer to Masters and Nicholls in Heat 15.
It was level after three races, with Ashton Boughen taking third place on the line after a last bend swoop around Patrick Baek in Heat 3.
Cheetahs moved ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 4, after Luke Killeen overhauled Jacob Hook on the second bend, and then Nicholls flew under both Hook and Ben Barker on the opening lap.
A second 5-1 followed in Heat 6, after Cameron Heeps charged around Barker, moved Cheetahs six points clear and that lead became eight points after a 4-2 from Heeps and Killeen in a very competitive Heat 8.
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Thompson fended off Jordan Jenkins when taking a tactical substitute ride in Heat 9, and even more impressively, he stormed past both Masters and Heeps in the early stages of Heat 10 and went on to inflict Masters’ only defeat of the evening.
Nicholls rounded Plymouth guest Jason Edwards in the early stages of Heat 11, while Killeen fought past Alfie Bowtell for third place, as Cheetahs moved back eight ahead with a 4-2.
Gladiators hit straight back with a 5-1 from Thompson and his twin brother Joe in Heat 12, and Cheetahs’ lead was cut to four.
Nicholls and Masters took a 5-1 from Heat 13, with Nicholls passing Edwards on the fourth turn. Victory was secured on the night in a shared Heat 14, with Jenkins temporarily overhauling Joe Thompson for the lead on the final lap, but Thompson pipped him to the race win.
Masters and Nicholls made no mistakes with a further 5-1 in Heat 15, to give Cheetahs a 12-point lead for the aggregate bonus point when the two sides meet again at the Plymouth Coliseum later this month.
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