Oxford Cheetahs, in their first meeting since Czech Republic star Ales Dryml's horrific crash, battled hard before going down to defeat at Eastbourne yesterday.

However, they have given themselves a fighting chance of securing all three points, including the bonus for the aggregate victory, when the sides lock horns again in Wednesday's return at Sandy Lane.

oOn a very hot afternoon, and with track conditions very dusty throughout, few would have expected Graeme Gordon's side to get within five points of the Eagles on their tight, tricky Arlington circuit.

And with Cheetahs missing the injured duo of Dryml and Aussie Davey Watt, the expectation was of a similar scoreline to the 60-32 defeat inflicted upon them at the Sussex track in April.

It looked as if the meeting could be heading in that direction when the Eagles led 27-15 after heat seven.

But the tide began to turn dramatically in the next heat.

Home No 2 Eddie Kennett fell at the second bend under pressure from Cheetahs guest Olly Allen, who had been drafted in to replace Watt and had been nominated as a tactical ride for double points by Gordon.

Referee Peter Clarke duly excluded Kennett from the re-run which saw the solitary remaining Eagle, 16-year-old Lewis Bridger fall on the third bend.

He too was excluded with the Cheetahs awarded an 8-0 heat victory.

That left Oxford with a four-points deficit which was wiped out in the next heat when Todd Wiltshire and Lubos Tomicek romped to a 5-1 win over Bridger and former Cheetah Dean Barker However, Eastbourne slammed in three maximum 5-1 heat wins and a 4-2 after the interval to lead 47-33 with just two heats remaining.

But then Adam Skornicki, taking a tactical ride, and Swede Eric Andersson, who had his best meeting so far for Cheetahs, romped to an 8-1 in the penultimate race.

And then skipper Wiltshireoutpaced and outrode Nicki Pedersen in the last heat to take the chequered flag with Andersson taking full advan- tage of David Norris's engine failure to snatch third place.

Cheetahs' promoter Aaron Lanney said: "After all the trauma we've had to endure, I am so very, very proud of the way the team really pulled together.

"They refused to throw in the towel at any stage."

Eastbourne Eagles: Pedersen 14, Norris 10+2, Barker 10, Kennett 7+2, Bridger 6+1, Shields 2+1, Woodward 1. 50pts.

Oxford Cheetahs: Wiltshire 12, Skornicki 9+1, Allen 9+1, Andersson 7+4, Tomicek 4+1, Howe 4. 45 pts.