OXFORD Cheetahs are gearing up for the first leg of their Championship play-off final tonight.

Sandy Lane will host the home leg against Poole Pirates this evening, prior to the return meeting in Dorset on Friday, and the aggregate winners will be crowned league champions.

Poole finished top of the regular table, with Cheetahs second, and both teams won both legs of their semi-finals.

Cheetahs may hold something of a psychological advantage, having won both regular Championship meetings, with a Super Heat victory on home shale and a memorable 49-41 win at Wimborne Road which ended Pirates’ 42-match unbeaten home record.

READ AGAIN: Three teams to once again compete at Sandy Lane in 2025

Oxford have an identical team to the one which beat Scunthorpe Scorpions in the semi-finals, with Dan Gilkes again coming in for the injured Jordan Jenkins, while Oxford Charger Jody Scott covers for Adam Roynon at reserve. 

Poole’s Ben Cook is ruled out of both legs with concussion, but Pirates have brought in Danny King tonight and Chris Harris on Friday. 

Oxford team manager Peter Schroeck said: “It’s hugely appropriate that Poole are our opponents in the play-off final, and the two teams will meet again in the Knockout Cup final as well in the coming weeks.

“Two famous sides from the south of England with a huge amount of history both individually as clubs and also with a keen rivalry between them.

“I don’t need to do everything to motivate the riders for the play-off final, they are professional riders.

“I just need to keep them focused and calm, and having fun and enjoying the occasion, while approaching the meeting as they would any other week.” 

Cheetahs skipper Scott Nicholls added: “The two legs of the play-off final are going to be very much a team effort.

“Riders do put themselves under pressure for meetings like this, but it’s how you respond to that.

“If a rider is going well and is on form, we’ve got to keep them in the right place. If they’re not having such a good night, we need to help them turn it round.

“Both myself as captain and Pete as team manager will be looking to get the maximum out of the boys.

“But it extends beyond that. All the team will be mucking in and helping each other, it’s team spirit that can make such a difference on these occasions and we have a good team spirit.

“It also makes a big difference that we’ve already been down to Poole this season and come back with a very positive result. It means whatever result we pick up at Oxford in the first leg, we can head to Poole with confidence.”