OXFORD Cheetahs claimed their first away win at Poole Pirates in more than 25 years with a 49-41 victory.

The result lifted Cheetahs up to second in the Championship, five points behind leaders Poole, but with two meetings in hand.

Cheetahs took all three points on offer, including the aggregate bonus point, while inflicting Pirates’ first home defeat since June 2022, ending a 42-match run.

Every Cheetah won at least one race, while Luke Killeen top-scored with 11+3, dropping a single point to Ben Cook in Heat 12.

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Pirates led twice in the early stages, before Cheetahs levelled matters with a 4-2 in Heat 4, in which Killeen chopped back inside Tom Brennan and then held him off.

Sam Masters and Scott Nicholls won the next two races, and Cheetahs pulled ahead for the first time in Heat 7 for a lead they kept a hold of.

Jordan Jenkins flew around Brennan on the back straight, and Ashton Boughen performed a similar move on Tobias Thomsen as Cheetahs took a 4-2.

Cheetahs moved six points ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 8 from Cameron Heeps and Killeen, while Boughen won Heat 10 in brilliant style.

Boughen and Jenkins both trapped, and Richard Lawson managed to pass Jenkins, but he couldn’t catch Boughen.

Six points down, Pirates introduced Ben Cook into Heat 11 as a tactical substitute, and he joined Brennan for a 5-1 over Masters.

Cook also won a re-run Heat 12 ahead of Killeen and Boughen, after Jacob Hook got to his feet following an alarming fall.

Cheetahs went four points ahead with a 4-2 in Heat 13, as up front, Masters fended off Brennan, while Nicholls battled to pass Lawson for a crucial third place.

Oxford claimed victory with a 5-1 in Heat 14. Jenkins and Killeen were first away, and the latter fended off Zach Cook for the rest of the race.

For Oxford, it was the first time the club picked up an away victory at Poole in more than 25 years.

The last success came on May 5, 1999, when Cheetahs were triumphant by 48-43 in the Craven Shield.

Paul Hurry was top-scorer for Oxford that day with a 10+2 tally. On Wednesday night, he was again in the pits for Cheetahs, this time as mechanic for Cheetahs skipper Nicholls. 

The evening concluded with a shared Heat 15, with Ben Cook winning, while Nicholls and Masters packed the minor placings to keep Brennan at the back.