Oxford 38, Peterborough 52

REIGNING Elite League champions FOX/JT Oxford Cheetahs made the worst possible start to the season when beaten twice by a smart-gating Peterborough Panthers in yesterday's double-header, writes JOHN GAISFORD.

Although making a great fight of it at the East of England Showground in the morning where they dipped out by just one point, they had no answer to one of the unfancied sides this season in the return at Cowley last night.

Too many riders off the boil, while Cheetahs also felt the lossof Ales Dryml in the evening because his injured shoulder.

The Panthers rising star, British prospect Simon Stead, rode superbly in both meetings to prove the ace in the pack and Cheetahs undoing.

Last night everything seemed set for Cheetahs to claw back the narrow one point deficit from the morning.

But as early as heat two where Stead neatly carved his way through on the inside shoving the rest into oblivion, you could sense it wasn't going to be Cheetahs night.

That 5-1 was quickly followed by another as David How and Sam Tesar showed a lacklustre Lukas Dryml and Steve Johnston a clean pair of wheels.

The alarm bells were ringing despite Mark Lemon and Leigh Adams hitting back in kind.

The visitors won the next three heats before Cheetahs were forced into using a double tactical. But even though Adams won a cracker, the heat was shared, so no advantage.

The Panthers went ten points ahead after Piotr Protasiewicz and Stead rammed in another maximum in heat nine and it looked curtains for the home side and the 2,000 fans who had flocked to Sandy Lane.

It was all over after the break where Howe and Bager took full advantage of Dryml losing a chain when second to thump home another maximum, the Panthers fourth of the night.

The only comfort for the home fans was the superb riding of Adams, his best effort coming in heat 13 where he came from third to take the flag in brilliant fashion.

Peterborough 45, Oxford 44

IN the morning, Cheetahs threw away almost certain victory, wsrites LEON HILL.

A disaster in heat three was averted after both Oxford riders fell on the first turn. It was deemed an unsatisfactory start. However, Lukas Dryml fell again in the re-run bringing down Hans Clausen in the process. It resulted in an exclusion for the young Czech and ride in the ambulance for Clausen, who took no further part in the meeting.

With the Panthers already operating rider replacement for the injured Shane Parker they were down to five men and the Cheetahs should have capitalised.

They streaked seven points up after 11 heats, with Leigh Adams producing some breathtaking speedway.

. MORNING MATCH

Peterborough: Sullivan 13+1, Stead 12+2,Tesar 8, Protasiewicz 8,

Bager 4, Clausen 0. 45 pts.

Oxford: Adams 13, Andersen 10+2, A Dryml 6+2, Johnston 6, L Dryml 5,Appleton 4, Lemon 0. 44 pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Sullivan, Andersen, A Dryml, Bager. 61.7secs.

Heat 2: Stead, Appleton, Bager, Lemon. 68.4.

Heat 3: Tesar, Johnston, Bager (ef), Clausen (inj), Dryml (ex). 64.1.

Heat 4: Adams, Stead, Protasiewicz, Lemon. 62.8.

Heat 5: Andersen, A Dryml, Bager, Tesar. 63.8.

Heat 6: Adams, Sullivan, Stead, Appleton. 63.4.

Heat 7: L Dryml, Protasiewicz, Johnston, Stead.

Heat 8: A Dryml, Stead, Appleton, Tesar (ef). 64.7.

Heat 9: Adams, Tesar, Appleton, Bager. 62.9.

Heat 10: Protasiewicz, Sullivan, Johnston, A Dryml. 63.6.

Heat 11: Andersen, Protasiewicz, Stead, A Dryml. 63.9.

Heat 12: Stead, L Dryml, Bager, Appleton. 65.2.

Heat 13: Sullivan, Adams, Andersen, Protasiewicz. 63.1.

Heat 14: Tesar, Johnston, Bager, Appleton. 65.1.

Heat 15: Sullivan, Adams, Andersen, Protasiewicz. 63.4.

EVENING MATCH

Oxford: Adams 15+1, Johnston 8+2, Lemon 8+1, Andersen 4+2, Dryml 2, Appleton 1+1. 38 pts.

Peterborough: Tesar 11+1, Stead 10+3, Sullivan 10, Howe 9, Protasiewizc 8+1, Bager 4+2. 52 pts.

HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Sullivan, Lemon, Andersen, Bager. 60.5 secs.

Heat 2: Stead, Bager, Lemon, Appleton (f/rmtd). 60.6.

Heat 3: Howe, Tesar, Johnston, Dryml. 60.0.

Heat 4: Lemon, Adams, Protasiewicz, Bager. 61.3.

Heat 5: Sullivan, Dryml, Johnston, Stead (f/rmtd). 60.7.

Heat 6: Stead, Andersen, Lemon, Protasiewicz. 61.2.

Heat 7: Howe, Adams, Tesar, Appleton. 60.6.

Heat 8: Adams, Tesar, Stead, Johnston. 61.3.

Heat 9: Protasiewicz, Stead, Johnston, Dryml. 61.3

Heat 10: Tesar, Johnston, Andersen, Howe (e/f). 61.6.

Heat 11: Adams, Sullivan, Stead, Appleton. 60.1.

Heat 12: Howe, Bager, Lemon, Dryml (e/f). 61.4.

Heat 13: Adams, Sullivan, Protasiewicz. 60.8.

Heat 14: Tesar, Johnston, Appleton, Bager. 62.3.

Heat 15: Protasiewcz, Adams, Johnston, Tesar. 61.3. FLAT OUT: Peterborough ace Simon Stead bends his back during last night's match at Oxford ALL THE HEAT DETAILS Heats