Last week’s Jubilee League fixture saw a healthy win for the Cheetahs, but the Gladiators didn’t go down without a fight.
Despite being reduced to just four men – three of whom were guests – after a crash in heat 1, the Gladiators did far, far better than the final score suggested. All the riders gave it everything they had, with all of them completing seven rides apart from James Wright, who ‘only’ came out six times. Josh Pickering had a night to remember, and I’m sure not even he expected a full seven rides and seventeen points. He certainly seemed to get dialled into Sandy Lane quickly despite never seeing the place before, and will be looking forward to coming back with Edinburgh in a few weeks’ time. Hopefully he can have a more restful evening that night and Edinburgh won’t roll him out for a Rider Replacement, Tactical Substitute and in the Nominated Riders heat like Plymouth did.
As well as the Gladiators did, it was of course the Cheetahs who came out on top and – at the time of writing – lead the Jubilee League South table ahead of this week’s double header against Poole. Poole have of course been here before this year, inflicting the first defeat of our new era back in April. It’s a very different Cheetahs side that will line up this week, however, and we must fancy our chances of taking some points off the Pirates on Tuesday and Wednesday. Last week all the riders (except guest reserve Nathan) were paid for double points, and if we can achieve that again this week we should be home and dry. A special mention to Scott, who, according to Mark Dean’s Cheetahs Chronicle (available from the top bar for a bargain £2), celebrated his 1,001st British League fixture with his first full maximum since 2014.
After the excitement of the Championship Jubilee League on Tuesday, the Chargers take over for the National Development League fixture against the Armadale Devils on Wednesday. The league table suggests that the Chargers should have the better of an Armadale side that’s struggled this year, but, as the Cheetahs proved in Plymouth last week, matched aren’t won on paper. I’m sure they’ll come looking for a big away win, and it’s on Jordan, Nathan and the rest of the guys to stop them.
As always, we’ll be on the gates this week selling Raceday Jackpot tickets. This we’ve got another £50 voucher from the guys at Top Tackle on Abingdon Road to give away on Tuesday, so there’s extra reason to dig deep and try and bag yourself a winning ticket. On Wednesday we’ll be doing a 50/50 draw, so while there are more prizes on offer on Tuesday, on Wednesday you might win the big one!
Here’s to our second Summertime Special. Last time we managed a win, a narrow loss, and a draw across the three fixtures. Lets’ get behind the guys as they try and get all ten points this time.
Go Cheetahs
Go Chargers