Oxford vs Scunthorpe - Playoff S/F 1st leg - 11/9

[szkocjasid]

20 hours ago, foreverblue said:

That's good news, nobody wants to win a title against a weakened team.

Why not, I'm sure fans would rather beat a full strength team, but also rather beat a weakened team than lose to a full strength team. 

Obviously good that the riders are not seriously hurt.

[szkocjasid]

On 9/14/2024 at 1:48 PM, WembleyLion said:

I actually agree as Oxford’s it’s on until it’s off policy unfortunately does damage goodwill to some extent on the occasions when it backfires. One only has to read the comments on social media to appreciate that.

However, with the second leg now taking place on next Wednesday and the Cheetahs putting in a very good performance at Scunthorpe last night I expect a bumper crowd on Wednesday to turn up to see them advance to the final! The weather also looks pretty good next week which always helps!

Could it work against them, knowing Oxford are "definitely" in the final, would some fans, stay at home & just go to the final instead? Is this a situation where a 4 point deficit would've been better to bring in a bigger crowd?

[WembleyLion]

On 9/16/2024 at 3:24 PM, szkocjasid said:

Could it work against them, knowing Oxford are "definitely" in the final, would some fans, stay at home & just go to the final instead? Is this a situation where a 4 point deficit would've been better to bring in a bigger crowd?

Yes indeed a 4 point deficit might have been the perfect scenario but a nice warm and sunny day usually helps and at the moment we are having one of them. 

[foreverblue]

On 9/16/2024 at 3:22 PM, szkocjasid said:

Why not, I'm sure fans would rather beat a full strength team, but also rather beat a weakened team than lose to a full strength team. 

Obviously good that the riders are not seriously hurt.

Not how I see it, if we win I don't want anyone saying we beat a weakened team and otherwise we would not have won.  I am sure the final will go down to the wire, Oxford and Scunthorpe have riders who are excellent at Poole.

[IronScorpion]

12 minutes ago, WembleyLion said:

Yes indeed a 4 point deficit might have been the perfect scenario but a nice warm and sunny day usually helps and at the moment we are having one of them. 

So, expected a slick track & dust after heat 4-6 as the track will not have been watered these last few days to get moisture in. 

Unlike last week when they had rain before then decided to grade/rip up the track prior to the meeting, making it unsafe to ride.

[Fromafar]

Great effort from Scunny

[Racin Jason 72]

Where was Michael palm gate ? 

[Fromafar]

48 minutes ago, Racin Jason 72 said:

Where was Michael palm gate ? 

Looking for his gloves👌

[Bojangles]

Another cracking meeting tonight. Fair play to Scunthorpe for keeping it so close, but Nicholls and Masters proving to be the difference once again in heats 13 and 15. Special mention to Dan Gilkes in heat 14 - that was one hell of a ride.

[WembleyLion]

Congratulations to Oxford for progressing to the final and well done to Scunthorpe for a battling display which pushed the Cheetahs all the way!

Edited September 18 by WembleyLion

[BackInTheDHSS]

41 minutes ago, Bojangles said:

Another cracking meeting tonight. Fair play to Scunthorpe for keeping it so close, but Nicholls and Masters proving to be the difference once again in heats 13 and 15. Special mention to Dan Gilkes in heat 14 - that was one hell of a ride.

Absolutely. Takes some guts to ride like that after suffering such horrendous injuries just a couple of years ago. Great to see such passion from him after the race as well. 

[Steve Shovlar]

Just caught up this morning. Never in doubt for Oxford no matter what Scunthorpe did. Heats 13 and 15 the safety net. Opposition had no riders capable of stopping 5-1’s and an 8 point swing.

Decent effort for Scunthorpe though. Looking forward to the final next week.

[arnieg]

1 hour ago, Steve Shovlar said:

Just caught up this morning. Never in doubt for Oxford no matter what Scunthorpe did. Heats 13 and 15 the safety net. Opposition had no riders capable of stopping 5-1’s and an 8 point swing.

Decent effort for Scunthorpe though. Looking forward to the final next week.

Piffle.

If Scunny had held on to the 5-1 they gated on in ht 14 it would have been 92-88. And then it only needed Masters or Nicholls to jump the start (both were on warnings) in ht 13 or 15 and one of those 5-1s would have gone west. Oh and with Howarth having beaten both Masters and Nicholls it seems down right wrong to suggest that the Scorps had no riders capable of beating the Cheetahs top two.

At 81-all with a heat to go Oxford may have been favourites, but there was considerable doubt and still room for failure. 

[IronScorpion]

42 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Piffle.

If Scunny had held on to the 5-1 they gated on in ht 14 it would have been 92-88. And then it only needed Masters or Nicholls to jump the start (both were on warnings) in ht 13 or 15 and one of those 5-1s would have gone west. Oh and with Howarth having beaten both Masters and Nicholls it seems down right wrong to suggest that the Scorps had no riders capable of beating the Cheetahs top two.

At 81-all with a heat to go Oxford may have been favourites, but there was considerable doubt and still room for failure. 

Where have you been these last 20 years? It is 15 heats not 13!

[Steve Shovlar]

41 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Piffle.

If Scunny had held on to the 5-1 they gated on in ht 14 it would have been 92-88. And then it only needed Masters or Nicholls to jump the start (both were on warnings) in ht 13 or 15 and one of those 5-1s would have gone west. Oh and with Howarth having beaten both Masters and Nicholls it seems down right wrong to suggest that the Scorps had no riders capable of beating the Cheetahs top two.

At 81-all with a heat to go Oxford may have been favourites, but there was considerable doubt and still room for failure. 

Come on it was never in doubt. The track had slickened off and although Howarth stopped them getting maximums, he was never going to bother them when it mattered. There was little to no jeapody for Oxford with 8 points available to them in 13 and 15. I would have bet £100 on them getting the points, with only a tapes or EF stopping it from happening. 

Scunthorpe did well to keep it close with Boughen riding while injured and Oxford carrying Scott. But Masters and Nicholls far too good.

[Bojangles]

1 minute ago, Steve Shovlar said:

Come on it was never in doubt. The track had slickened off and although Howarth stopped them getting maximums, he was never going to bother them when it mattered. There was little to no jeapody for Oxford with 8 points available to them in 13 and 15. I would have bet £100 on them getting the points, with only a tapes or EF stopping it from happening. 

Scunthorpe did well to keep it close with Boughen riding while injured and Oxford carrying Scott. But Masters and Nicholls far too good.

I was there....and I can tell you there was doubt for pretty much every Cheetahs fan until Gilkes produced that pass in heat 14. It was no certainty at any point before that.

[Steve Shovlar]

13 minutes ago, Bojangles said:

I was there....and I can tell you there was doubt for pretty much every Cheetahs fan until Gilkes produced that pass in heat 14. It was no certainty at any point before that.

Because it was your club racing the doubt was there. I didn’t care who won, and there was no doubt for me as a neutral. Would Kemp and Howarth beat Nicholls and Masters in heat 13? Not a chance and so it proved from the gate. Heat 15 and would Allen and Howarth surprise us? Not a chance. Nicholls said he was happy to “sit where he was”, but it was too easy with the mistakes being made and came past both without breaking sweat. 

A fan of either club might have thought is close and tense, but reality for the neutral was different.

[Bojangles]

3 hours ago, Steve Shovlar said:

Because it was your club racing the doubt was there. I didn’t care who won, and there was no doubt for me as a neutral. Would Kemp and Howarth beat Nicholls and Masters in heat 13? Not a chance and so it proved from the gate. Heat 15 and would Allen and Howarth surprise us? Not a chance. Nicholls said he was happy to “sit where he was”, but it was too easy with the mistakes being made and came past both without breaking sweat. 

A fan of either club might have thought is close and tense, but reality for the neutral was different.

Or perhaps it was just more obvious for somebody who already knew the result and caught up this morning, as opposed to being there and watching it live.

[Steve Shovlar]

1 minute ago, Bojangles said:

Or perhaps it was just more obvious for somebody who already knew the result and caught up this morning, as opposed to being there and watching it live.

I had no idea of the result and it’s not difficult to avoid if I stay off here or Speedwayupdates.  Before the meeting it was fairly obvious Oxford would be in the final. Thought Scunthorpe put up a decent fight but they needed to be ten up to counter Masters/Nicholls and were nowhere near it. The reason Scunthorpe and Workington failed to make the final is clear. They didn’t have riders capable of beating the top Oxford and Poole riders.

The final is very open as to who will be Champions. Poole have run Oxford close twice at Cowley. Oxford have been beaten and won comfortably at Wimborne Road.  To close to call a week out.