It certainly wasn't the best way to bring the curtain down on JT/Fox Oxford Cheetahs' season at Sandy Lane as the rain lashed down.

But with dates running out fast before the October 31 deadline, fans, officials and riders all wanted Friday's meeting to take place.

The end result was a satisfactory couple of opening heats, but the rest was just a lottery.

Races were being run some eight or nine seconds slower than the first heat and that in itself tells the story.

Riders were just going through the motions and it wasn't good for the fans, who were standing in the rain getting thoroughly soaked.

In the end, the elements prevailed with the result standing at 41-29 after 12 heats.

Team manager Colin Meredith got a call from referee Frank Ebdon after the announcement came that the riders wouldn't be saying their farewells because of the weather. Normally Ebdon doesn't get flustered, but he came over to me saying he thought the decision was disgusting.

The fans had to endure the foul weather all night, so why couldn't the riders, who have been supported through thick and thin all season.

But the call to Meredith did the trick and the riders bade their farewells at the end.

Cheetahs have just two meetings to complete their season.

They travel to Belle Vue on Monday and Peterborough on Tuesday. If either of those fixtures are rained off, there are no further dates available to run.

Steve Johnston must be overloaded with trophies for rider-of-the-night this season.

He picked up two last Friday for his unbeaten 12-pointer to add to his ever-growing trophy cabinet.

Jimmy Nilsen received the Martin Morbey Rider of the Month award.