OXFORD Cheetahs secured a Championship play-off place with a 55-35 victory over reigning champions Glasgow Tigers at Sandy Lane.

Second-placed Cheetahs are now just three points behind leaders Poole Pirates, with a match in hand, while Glasgow need to win all three of their remaining meetings to qualify for the play-offs.

Cheetahs beat Tigers despite in-form Luke Killeen crashing out in Heat 8. Killeen was the early leader, when Glasgow’s James Pearson lost control on the fourth turn and went into Killeen, with Cameron Heeps also going down.

Killeen remained fully conscious throughout and was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital for precautionary checks on his neck.

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Cheetahs led the meeting throughout from Heat 1 and took full charge with a 5-1 from Sam Masters and Heeps in Heat 6, after Heeps rounded Leon Flint for second place.

Heeps overtook Jack Smith to win the re-run of Heat 8, but Tigers introduced Chris Harris into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute and the visitors took a 5-1 to close the gap to eight points.

Heeps fended off Anders Rowe in Heat 10 to join Masters for a second 5-1, and then Scott Nicholls and guest Connor Coles took a 4-2 in Heat 11, after Coles held off Pearson to take third.

Ashton Boughen, celebrating his 17th birthday, clinched victory by defeating Rowe in Heat 12.

Masters fended off Harris to win Heat 13, while Jordan Jenkins flew from third to first to win Heat 14, while Coles produced a great ride to fend off Pearson and gain a 5-1 to Cheetahs.

Masters completed a brilliant 15-point full maximum by winning Heat 15, as Cheetahs took a 4-2 after a valiant effort by Heeps in a battle for second place with Harris.