Oxford Cheetahs 47, Coventry Bees 43: Basement boys Oxford Cheetahs upset the applecart again by savaging reigning Skybet Elite League champions Coventry Bees with a superb display at Oxford Stadium last night.

Just as they had toppled leaders Reading on Good Friday, Cheetahs swept aside their Midland rivals, and had the points in the bag with a heat left.

Todd Wiltshire, back in the fold at Cowley, gave the fans a great boost as he rolled back the years with some cracking speedway.

And, with skipper David Howe finally finding his touch, the pair were the inspiration behind a great team effort.

Oxford had to do without Lubos Tomicek who had a prior engagement in the Czech Republic.

But his stand-in, Workington's Tomasz Piszcz, proved a more than adequate replacement as he racked up a superb paid seven points.

A delighted promoter Aaron Lanney said: "Todd has given us all a lift. The boys responded magnificently tonight, they were fantastic.

"We are not a bad team, we just all have to fire at the same time and we did that tonight."

As expected the Bees main threat was posed by Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris.

There was also some great riding from Aussie Rory Schlein, but the second strings let the Bees down badly in a meeting they thought they had in the bag.

Right from the first heat, when Wiltshire blasted clear, it was as if he had never been away.

And when Piszcz, a former Coventry rider, won the next, the home fans could sense it may be Oxford's night.

Cheetahs were a little unfortunate in heat five when Adam Skornicki, gating in great style, looked to have the race won until his engine packed up down the back straight and the Bees smacked in a 5-1.

But Howe then held off a determined Schlein in heat seven, and it was all to play for with the scores level at 27-27, with the interval looming.

Just to make the break more palatable, Davey Watt and Wiltshire scored a telling 5-1 to give Cheetahs a four-point cushion.

Oxford maintained their advantage, but it could have been even better in heat 12 where Eric Andersson, in second behind Skornicki, was a touch unlucky to be excluded when he half locked-up causing Martin Smolinski to fall.

The big test was still to come with heat 13, but Wiltshire rose to the occasion with a dream ride to outwit Harris and Nicholls to put Cheetahs on the brink of victory.

And Freddie Eriksson crowned his home debut by teaming up with Piszcz, who heroically powered past Schlein to cement the success.

Oxford: Wiltshire 11+1, Howe 8, Skornicki 7, Watt 6+2, Piszcz 6+1, Eriksson 5+1, Andersson 4+1. 47 pts Coventry: Nicholls 13+1, Harris 10+2, Janniro 7+1, Schlein 7, Smolenski 4, Risager 2+1, Allen 0. 43 pts.