AS the speedway season approaches the sharp end, the table is tightening up which means that both Oxford teams need to maintain their form if they are to convert the fantastic start of the season through to the end.
The Oxford Cheetahs remain at the top of the Championship with a three-point lead over the second-placed Poole Pirates, who picked up a win at Scunthorpe on Friday.
Poole have one match in hand over the Cheetahs and it shows the importance of Oxford picking up the bonus point on the south coast last Wednesday.
Had Poole picked up all three points, then the Cheetahs would have just a one-point advantage at the top.
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Much has been spoken about the need to finish top of the pile and the advantage that the top team has when it comes to the play-offs.
Choosing which two teams you face in the ‘mini league’ is definitely an advantage, although captain Scott Nicholls is not convinced it is as big an advantage as it may seem.
“Sometimes that can be a headache, in some respects you can be better off having that decision taken out of your hands,” he said.
The top five all look set to be in the play-offs (Oxford, Poole, Glasgow, Redcar and Scunthorpe) however there is fierce competition for the sixth and final spot with Edinburgh and Birmingham both tied on seven points.
Oxford make the long journey north to Edinburgh on Friday and will be keen to get back to winning ways after their only two league defeats of the season at Redcar and Poole.
Chargers try again
Once again, the weather denied the Oxford Chargers racing their meeting against the Kent Royals, the second time in just a fortnight.
They will face the newly reborn Workington Comets at Sandy Lane tomorrow night. With a dearth of fixtures for the Chargers, they have slipped down to fourth in the table, although they have two matches in hand over the three teams above them.
With the top two teams going straight into the play-off final, Oxford will be keen to ensure that they grab all three points on offer following their win against the Comets away in June. It will also finally see the debut for new boy Jason Garrad, who has yet to turn a wheel for the Chargers.
Workington have brought in talented youngster Ashton Boughen for Connor Bailey, who is on Championship duty.
There has been no speedway action at Sandy Lane since July 19, when the Cheetahs won the clash of the big cats against the Glasgow Tigers, so the club will be keeping everything crossed for a dry spell this week.
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