SPEEDWAY: Oxford snatch it at the death
8:00am Tuesday 16th October 2007
A rendering of 'Oh Danny Boy' echoed around Oxford Stadium last night as Cheetahs rolled back the years with a dramatic last-heat victory to book their place in the Conference League play-off final.
The 56-38 victory in the second-leg of the semi-final saw Cheetahs go through 93-92 on aggregate.
It was Danny Betson and skipper Lee Smethills who pulled off what looked like the impossible to see Cheetahs home by the narrowest of margins.
Oxford were still three points adrift with the final heat to go, and anything but maximum points would have seen the Devils go through.
With Betson gating ahead of Tom Brown, Smethills and Seemond Stephens, it all looked lost until Smethills worked his way through to join Betson and the crowd went wild.
Team manager Peter Oakes paid tribute to his young side, saying: "They never know when they are beaten. It was a fantastic effort from all of them."
Cheetahs now meet Scunthorpe in the two-legged final with the first action at Oxford on Friday and the return in Lincolnshire on Sunday.
Cheetahs' bid for glory had taken off with a superb victory for skipper Smethills.
Plymouth's reserve pair left Brendan Johnson and Scott Campos for dead in heat two as the visitors added to their 17-point lead from the first leg.
However, Cheetahs hit back with Andrew Bargh and Jordan Frampton ramming in a 5-1.
And further wins from Bargh, Betson and Frampton set up that dramatic finale.
Oxford: Betson 15, Smethills 12+1, Frampton 9+2, Bargh 10, Martin 6+1, Campos 2, Johnson 2. 56pts.
Plymouth: Stephens 10, Brown 10, Glanz 6, Smith 5, Hopwood 5, Pickard 2, Webster 0. 38pts.