OXFORD Cheetahs came out on top as they renewed their rivalry with Swindon.

The Cheetahs beat a Swindon Robins Select side 55-35 in a rearranged challenge fixture at Oxford Stadium.

Oxford captain Scott Nicholls still hasn’t lost to an opposing rider at Sandy Lane so far this season, as he took an 11+1 paid maximum.

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Cheetahs only ran four last places all evening and three of those came when victory was already in the bag.

In the first heat, new Oxford number one Sam Masters was pushed all the way by former world champion Jason Doyle, but held him off to win in a time just 0.05 seconds outside the track record.

The meeting was the first time that Swindon had taken to the track since landing the Premiership and Supporters’ Cup double in 2019.

The Wiltshire club has spent almost four years in the wilderness after Covid-19 led to their closure, and in September, the directors of Swindon Speedway announced the permanent ending of racing at the Abbey Stadium.

Cheetahs’ Lewis Kerr said: “It was a great team effort, especially since Swindon had a strong team out.

“There’s a really good atmosphere amongst the team. We’re all having a laugh and working together to get the most out of the team. We’re all enjoying ourselves and it’s going to be a good year.”

The win over Swindon follows the BSN Series victory at Plymouth Gladiators on Tuesday.