Monarch Oxford Cheetahs v Poole Wessex Marine Pirates - FULL REPORT

The Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates came from behind to deny an Oxford team a first win against a Poole team, since they relaunched last season.
 

In progressively difficult conditions, due to the persistent rainfall that hit the stadium around 8pm, the Pirates recovered from an opening heat maximum defeat at the hands of the Cheetahs' Aussie pairing of Sam Masters and Cameron Heeps. Kyle Newman, who became the Pirates' star performer, opened what was to be a busy night for him, with a fine victory and on the first lap had his fellow reserve Adam Roynon tucked in behind him, until Roynon locked up as he prepared to enter the fourth turn, resulting in just a shared heat rather than the chance to trim back some of the deficit.

Making his first ride as a Poole heatleader, Ben Cook looked sharp and held on to his early advantage inspite of intense pressure from Lewis Kerr. With Zach Cook in third place Poole gained their first heat gain . They had a slice of fortune in heat four, as Richard Lawson and Roynon were on the wrong end of prospective 5-1 when Luke Killeen fell. But then Steve Worrall had problems ahead of the start of heat five when his bike refused to fire up with the time allowance rapidly being consumed. It led to a disqualification, and Newman was appointed as a replacement. Kerr this time made the running but Anders Rowe and Newman were too canny for Jordan Jenkins and so another shared heat was chalked up.

Poole switched their reserves in heat six, with Roynon being given the ride but he couldn’t make an impact on the final outcome, although Lawson gave Masters plenty to think about as he came on strong in the latter stages. 

The Cook boys did well enough as the rain started to hit, as they shared the heat, Scott Nicholls picking up his second win in as many starts, but still Poole trailed by four. Heat eight saw a reversal of the reserves switching with Newman in for Roynon, and it was a sound move as Newman produced an excellent winning ride. Partner Rowe wasn't too far behind Heeps, giving the Aussie plenty to think about and helping Poole to their second heat gain of the meeting.

The turning point came in heat nine when first Jenkins slid off, then on the penultimate lap, the ever-trying Kerr ran out of track room in his chase of Lawson, who was backing up leader Newman well. With only the two Poole lads finishing it was a big advantage and sent the Pirates into a three point lead. 

Conditions had the beating of Masters in heat ten as he wasn't sharp enough away from the tapes and the Cook boys were trailing Heeps. Nicholls made it three from three with a heat eleven win, but again Poole filled the other scoring positions, Worrall and Rowe thwarting Oxford's reserve tactics, as they replaced Henry Atkins with Killeen. Newman was beaten by  Kerr in heat twelve, as Ben Cook kept his wits about him when Atkins, this time the replacement for Killeen, tried to close in on the second turn of the second lap. 

A fourth successive heat share, thus protecting Poole's lead, followed in heat thirteen when again Masters didn't look too keen as he found himself at the rear, whilst Nicholls led proceedings. Newman again replaced Roynon in heat fourteen and with a first win of the season from Zach Cook, with Newman back in third place, Poole were assured victory with a heat to spare, as they moved five points clear.

That margin proved a winning one despite Nicholls going on to complete a fine maximum and  just as Lawson and Worrall were set for another share of the spoils, Kerr refused to give up the hunt and caught Worrall in the closing stages.

Oxford 43
Sam Masters 3,3,0,0=6 (4)
Cameron Heeps 2',1,2,3=8+1 (4)
Lewis Kerr 2,3,FD,3,1=9 (5)
Jordan Jenkins 0,0,F,2=2 (4)
Scott Nicholls 3,3,3,3,3=15 (5)
Henry Atkins 1',0,F=1+1 (3)
Luke Killeen 2,R,0,0,0=2 (5)

Poole 46
Steve Worrall 1,N2,2,2,0=5 (4)
Anders Rowe 0,2,1,1'=4+1 (4)
Ben Cook 3,2,2,1'=8+1 (4)
Zach Cook 1,1',1',3=6+2 (4)
Richard Lawson 2,2,2',1',2=9+2 (5)
Kyle Newman 3,1',RS,3,3,2,1=13+1 (6)
Adam Roynon 0,1',0,RS=1+1 (3)

Ht 1:  S.Masters, C.Heeps, S.Worrall, A.Rowe 5-1 5-1 [59.03]
Ht 2:  K.Newman, L.Killeen, H.Atkins, A.Roynon 3-3 8-4 [60.91]
Ht 3:  B.Cook, L.Kerr, Z.Cook, J.Jenkins 2-4 10-8 [60.02]
Ht 4:  S.Nicholls, R.Lawson, A.Roynon, L.Killeen [rtd] 3-3 13-11 [60.28]
Ht 5:  L.Kerr, A.Rowe, K.Newman, J.Jenkins 3-3 16-14 [.59.84]
Ht 6:  S.Masters, R.Lawson, C.Heeps, A.Roynon 4-2 20-16 [59.97]
Ht 7:  S.Nicholls, B.Cook, Z.Cook, H.Atkins 3-3 23-19 [60.34]
Ht 8:  K.Newman, C.Heeps, A.Rowe, L.Killeen 2-4 25-23 [61]
Ht 9:  K.Newman, R.Lawson, J.Jenkins [fell], L.Kerr [fell exc] 0-5 25-28 [awd]
Ht 10:  C.Heeps, B.Cook, Z.Cook, S.Masters 3-3 28-31 [62.78]
Ht 11:  S.Nicholls, S.Worrall, A.Rowe, L.Killeen 3-3 31-34 [63.16]
Ht 12:  L.Kerr, K.Newman, B.Cook, H.Atkins [fell] 3-3 34-37 [62.44]
Ht 13:  S.Nicholls, S.Worrall, R.Lawson, S.Masters 3-3 37-40 [62.59]
Ht 14:  Z.Cook, J.Jenkins, K.Newman, L.Killeen 2-4 39-44 [63.16]
Ht 15:  S.Nicholls, R.Lawson, L.Kerr, S.Worrall 4-2 43-46 [63.56]

REFEREE:  Christina Turnbull 
Poole won toss and chose gates 2&4 | Oxford choose gates 1&3 in heat 15  
BSN Points: Oxford 0 Poole 2
 

photo copyright Les Aubrey