Oxford Cheetahs 39, Reading Bulldogs 54: Ales Dryml marked his return to Cheetahs with two superb wins over two of last season's leading lights Greg Hancock and Travis McGowan, but Oxford were never a match for the Bulldogs at Oxford Stadium last night.

With Oxford forced to track two Premier League riders and use rider-replacement for Davey Watt, only Dryml and Adam Skornicki could raise double figures, the latter posting a fine 14 with Dryml on 12.

Cheetahs' hopes were raised early on as Wiltshire saw off last year's No 1 Hancock with some ease, but you could sense that the home side didn't have the firepower to deal with a rampant Bulldogs.

Even a splendid maximum from Skornicki and Howe after Matej Zagar crashed out at the pits bend, forcing Charlie Gjedde to lay down his bike, failed to raise hopes.

Skornicki shook off Hancock in heat five, denying his every move, and a Reading 5-1 with some fine track craft, before Wiltshire went all out to get past Gjedde down the back straight.

Cheetahs were keeping things in check up until heat six when the Bulldogs started to pull clear. Gjedde beat off Dryml and then Sam Simota and Travis McGowan banged in a 5-1, taking the visitors ten points clear after heat eight.

Team manager Graeme Gordon called up Skornicki as a tactical ride in heat nine and he duly delivered as Zagar stopped abruptly at the second bend, taking no further part, but Howe could not catch the hard-riding Andy Smith.

Even so, the 7-2 advantage put Cheetahs back into contention, just five points adrift at the interval.

All that went to pot soon after as Wiltshire was taken out wide by Zagar who had suddenly clicked into form. The Oxford skipper could make no impression as Zagar and Gjedde's 5-1 put the visitors nine points clear.

Dryml then showed why he should be a great asset to Cheetahs by easily beating former Oxford duo McGowan and Hancock with plenty in hand in heat 11.

Wiltshire was brought in as tactical ride, but Hancock had more problems from Dryml as the Aussie picked up a rare last place.

Dryml became the third Oxford tactical switch when he went off 15 metres back in heat 14 to try and reduce the damage, but to no avail, although he more than made up for it when repeating his win over McGowan and Hancock in the final heat.

Oxford: Skornicki 14, Dryml 12, Wiltshire 7, Howe 5+1, Tresarrieu 1, Katt 0. 39 pts.

Reading: McGowan 11, Hancock 11, Gjedde11, Simota 8, Zagar 7, Smith 6. 54 pts.