Oxford Cheetahs will be looking to make Reading Bulldogs suffer in today's double-header after Monday's woeful performance against Coventry.

Cheetahs host Reading at noon before travelling to Smallmead for the return clash at 8pm.

It's the first big local derby of the season and the powerful Bulldogs, still smarting after being beaten in the corresponding fixture last season, will be equally as keen as their Oxford counterparts to claim victory.

Cheetahs team manager Mick Horton said: "We have had talks with the riders after the Coventry debacle, telling them the performance was just not acceptable."

It's a meeting high-flying Reading will be expected to win both at Sandy Lane and Smallmead.

One big problem for the Oxford management at present is the form of Ales Dryml.

It appeared that he had got his confidence back after last year's life-threatening crash, when he was given a less than 50-50 chance of pulling through following his spill against Wolverhampton.

But subsequent meetings have seen him struggle.

Reading boast world No 2 Greg Hancock, the former Silver Machine skipper, who loves the Sandy Lane track, plus the fence-defying Travis McGowan another former Oxford star.

They also feature another former Cheetah in Mark Lemon, who is at the top of his game.

However, one man missing for the Bulldogs is Matej Zagar, who is riding in Slovenia.

Reading will use rider-replacement with every member of the team eligible to take a ride.

It's time for the Oxford team to win back the respect of their fans with a much better performance that shows determination and some fight.

Oxford: Jensen, Smith, Dryml, Johnston, Protasiewicz, Eriksson, Andersson.

Reading: Hancock, Simota, r/r, McGowan, Kolodziej, Bird, Lemon.