Oxford Cheetahs 46, Ipswich Witches 44:</>Oxford Cheetahs went a long way to avoiding the wooden spoon with this superb last gasp victory over a determined Witches at the Stadium last night.

Needing an advantage in the final heat to win the meeting, skipper Todd Wiltshire proved he was the man for the job with an exhilarating finale, relegating former world champion Mark Loram into second spot.

And with the equally superb Davey Watt taking third, they were home by the skin of their teeth.

Cheetahs are now four points ahead of Arena Essex, who they have to meet twice in the space of three days next week. A home point will be enough to keep them off the bottom.

A dream move in the opening heat set the stall for some exciting racing as Wiltshire and Watt took Witches' GP ace Pepe Protasiewicz in a brilliant scissor movement off the pits bend.

Short lived it may have been as in-form Eric Andersson almost came to grief, but his argument with the fence put him out of the reckoning as the Witches' 'stiffs' replied in kind.

The visitors, who just lost out on the play-offs, rammed in two more heat advantages.

David Howe soon got over his disappointment in heat three when he had the race won before he suffered an engine mishap.

Not so here though in heat six, as he and Skornicki punched home a 5-1 to level matters.

Wiltshire first, and then Watt kept Cheetahs in the hunt, and after Howe had racked up his second victory, they thumped in a maximum to see Cheetahs 31-29 ahead at the break.

Whatever Ipswich boss Mike Smillie put in the their tea at the interval certainly worked with Protasiewicz and Kim Jansson toying with Adam Shields and Stan Burza to pull the Witches ahead.

Things got worse for the home side as Robert Miskowiak whizzed past early leader Howe with out of touch Andersson nowhere and Cheetahs were losing ground all the time.

A fantastic full house from the excellent Wlitshire and Shields, who at last found his touch, relegated the Witches' top pairing to the minor placings in the vital heat 13.

With two heats to come, there was all to play for with the teams tied on 39 points apiece.

A third victory on the night for Miskowiak, as he trounced fellow Pole Skornicki in the penultimate heat set up a dramatic finale.

Wiltshire, despite having Loram up his exhaust pipe for three laps, steered Cheetahs home with Watt taking the all important third spot.

Wiltshire said: "Loram looked as though he had plenty of speed, so I just stuck my bum up and went flat out."

Oxford: Wiltshire 14+1, Watt 10+1, Howe 8, Skornicki 6+1, Shileds 6+1, Burza 1, Andersson 1+1 46 pts.

Ipswich: Miskowiak 11, Protasiewicz 9, Loram 8, King 8, Jansson 4, Kroner 4 44 pts.