Another week, another great meeting here at Sandy Lane, with a result that didn’t do the closeness of the meeting justice.
From the stands it felt as if Plymouth ran us a lot closer than the ten points we won by in the end. Maybe I get a false sense of closeness because I don’t fill in my programme live through the meeting (for reasons that will be clear to the followers of the OSSC Twitter account), but the last month’s meetings have felt they could go either way right to the end. Of course, close racing is what we all like, but it would be nice, just once, to blow someone out of the water to prove we can do it.
Last week saw a change to the riding order, with Dillon stepping up to the main body of the team and Cameron dropping to reserve. Cameron did what we all knew he could at reserve and ran riot, scoring 11+1 from a full seven rides. Just as important, though, was Dillon’s tally of 8+1 at number 2, which we all know is not an easy position to ride at. Dillon’s becoming quite the master around Sandy Lane, and has pulled off a number of vital passes in the last few weeks. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season pans out, but I think the way the team is constructed now means we will always have at least one very strong reserve, which bodes well for the run to the playoffs and the Summer Trophy.
A word about poor Luke Killeen, who had an even more torrid time last week than he did a fortnight ago. It’s a real shame, because we all know he’s a classy rider and the results at this level will surely come. He’ll be here with the Chargers next week against the Leicester Lion Cubs, and I’m sure he’ll show us what he’s all capable of then.
Next week we have three meetings in a little over 24 hours, with the Cheetahs at home on Tuesday, and the Chargers at home Wednesday while the Cheetahs away in Birmingham. I think that’s the very definition of “a busy period”, and it will be interesting to see how the club as a whole copes with the experience – Jamie and Peter can’t be at two meetings at the same time, for example. It’s sure to be a thrilling few days, with much confusion on Wednesday (certainly on my part) trying to follow two matches at the same time…
The British SGP at Cardiff rolls ever closer, and there are still places left on the OSSC coach. We’ll be leaving Oxford at around 10am on the Saturday morning, and returning home around about midnight, depending on the traffic. If you want a seat come and see us in the Champs Bar, or email info@ossc.me.uk and we’ll make sure your name is on the list. Price remains fantastic value at £20 a head.
Tonight we host a few familiar faces as the Berwick Bandits roll into town with hero for hire Chris Harris, and the Chargers’s own Nathan Stoneman at reserve. We all know what these guys can do around Sandy Lane, so fingers crossed for poor traffic, two minute exclusions and forgetting to turn the fuel taps on. Of course we at Oxford are now closely tied to the Berwick organisation, and tonight there will be a little bit more than league points on the line as the Speedway Championship’s sibling clubs battle it out to see who comes out on top. Either way we’re sure of another fantastic meeting, but here’s hoping for that 60-30 win we’ve been waiting for all season…
Go Cheetahs