The Monarch Oxford Cheetahs have seen the first leg of their Championship play-off final postponed. Sandy Lane was due to host the home leg against Poole Pirates this evening, prior to the return meeting in Dorset on Friday, with the aggregate winners crowned league champions. However, the recent continual bad weather has seen the first leg postponed. The Cheetahs have thanked Poole Pirates for helping quickly rearrange the meeting with fans agreeing that the decision was 'the only option'. On Facebook, a spokesperson for Oxford Speedway said: “Due to recent heavy rainfall and further rain forecast, an early decision has been made to postpone today’s Cab Direct Championship Grand Final first leg. Our home fixture of the Cab Direct Championship Grand Final will now become the second leg. Thanks to Poole for their quick cooperation.” The home meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, October 5 at 7.30pm.
The Impact of Heavy Rainfall
The postponement is a result of the heavy rainfall that has affected the area in recent days. Oxford Speedway has seen the heaviest rainfall in 56 years, making it impossible to hold the meeting. The Met Office has predicted that the rain will continue until 6pm tonight before yellow weather warnings kick in on Thursday and Friday for rainfall. The yellow warning spreads across half the country, which includes Dorset and the entire South Coast.
Cheetahs and Pirates: A Rivalry Renewed
The Cheetahs and Pirates are two of the most successful teams in the Championship, and their rivalry is one of the most intense in the sport. Poole finished top of the regular table, with Cheetahs second, and both teams won both legs of their semi-finals. Cheetahs may hold something of a psychological advantage, having won both regular Championship meetings, with a Super Heat victory on home shale and a memorable 49-41 win at Wimborne Road which ended Pirates’ 42-match unbeaten home record.
Looking Ahead to the Grand Final
The postponement of the first leg is a blow for the Cheetahs, but they will be looking to make the most of their home leg on October 5. The team is confident that they can win the Championship, and they will be looking to make a statement in front of their home fans. Oxford have an identical team to the one which beat Scunthorpe Scorpions in the semi-finals, with Dan Gilkes again coming in for the injured Jordan Jenkins, while Oxford Charger Jody Scott covers for Adam Roynon at reserve. Poole’s Ben Cook is ruled out of both legs with concussion, but Pirates have brought in Danny King tonight and Chris Harris on Friday.
A Weekend of Speedway Action
Oxford Speedway will re-stage the British Under-19 Final – another casualty of the weather over the last week – at Sunday, October 6 at 3pm, so there is a weekend feast of action for speedway fans at Cowley. The Cheetahs are gearing up for a weekend of speedway action, with the Grand Final first leg against Poole Pirates set to take place on Saturday 5th October 2024 at Sandy Lane. The meeting will be the first Saturday speedway fixture at Cowley for fifty-six years.
The Story of the Oxford Cheetahs
The Cheetahs have been in superb form all season, finishing in second place and setting up a perfect end to the season, as they have also qualified for the final of the Championship Knockout Cup. Two hard-fought fixtures against the Scunthorpe Scorpions in the semi-final last week saw some of the biggest crowds of the season on tenterhooks as the Cheetahs had to show their full mettle to confirm their grand final spot. While Oxford Chargers won the National League last season, Oxford have not picked up major silverware at either of the two senior levels since the 2005 Craven Shield. This is a celebration of the incredible work everybody is putting in behind the scenes and is a really exciting time for sport in Oxford. Oxford shocked the speedway world last November after becoming the first club in the history of the sport to run three teams. There was further positive news from the Oxford management last week when it was confirmed that all three teams would return after a positive response to the initiative this year. Tickets for the first leg at Oxford Stadium are on sale the Oxford Speedway website at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/ Admission is available at the early bird price of £20 for all adults, which increases to £22 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. A reminder that Oxford Speedway is online ticket sales only – tickets remain on sale on the website until the start-time of the meeting. Please note any tickets purchased for the original date have transferred to the new date.
