Berwick Bandits push table-topping Oxford Cheetahs hard but fail to find winning spark

Berwick’s Jye Etheridge and Connor Coles try to find a way past Henry Atkins and Cameron Heeps of Oxford Cheetahs. Picture: Nia Martin

Dane Thomas Jorgensen was left floundering at the start of heat seven but found the drive and straight-line to pass first Cameron Heeps and then Jordan Jenkins only for his engine to lose power entering the last lap, the fault traced back to a failed spark plug.

In an instant a shared heat became a Cheetahs’ 5-1, a six-point lead for the home side slashed to just two in the process.

The Bandits maintained the margin for much of the night only to concede decisive back-to-back 5-1s in heats 13 and 14.

Despite guest Erik Riss and skipper Leon Flint combining in 15 to end the maximum hopes of both Scott Nicholls and Sam Masters, the points had already been lost as the match ended 46-44 to Cheetahs.

In another night of fine racing packed with incident, heat winners were scarce for Berwick – a problem not suffered by the table-topping visitors – with Masters or Nicholls winning races at a canter.

The Bandits managed only four race winners all night, but battling for the minor places kept them narrowly ahead.

Flint and Riss left Heeps and Jenkins floundering to open up what looked capable of being a decisive four-point lead, but Oxford pulled points back in 11 as Jorgensen continued to lack power and then reserve Henry Atkins put the cat among the pigeons by keeping Jye Etheridge and Coonor Coles at bay in 12 after Heeps had fallen on the first bend.

Heat 13 was always likely to be pivotal, with Masters and Nicholls both lining up unbeaten only for Riss to make an electric start.

As home fans began to celebrate the red lights came on, referee Dave Watters warning Masters to stay still.

There was an inevitability about the Oxford pairing taking advantage of their reprieve to shut the German out of the rerun and suddenly Oxford led for the first time, sealing victory in the next heat.

Team manager Kevin Little said: “Nobody has pushed Oxford this close in the Championship so there is plenty to be positive about despite the result.”