POOLE Pirates suffered their first league loss of the year after a superheat decided their trip to Oxford Cheetahs.

The end of the meeting at Oxford Stadium was eked out, with multiple re-runs during the final heats of a 45-45 draw.

Even the superheat had to be repeated after Tom Brennan caught Sam Masters, with Oxford going on to secure the maximum and seal the win.

Former Pirates Sam Masters and Scott Nicholls led the way for Cheetahs, the pair garnering 14+1 and 11 points respectively before claiming first and second in the superheat.

Pirates found themselves trailing from the opening heats but rallied back, Sam Hagon and Ben Cook producing a maximum in race nine to restore parity.

In the penultimate heat Zach Cook thought he was cruising to a race win but was adjudged to have moved ahead of tapes up, with all four riders brought back for the re-run.

During the second attempt of race 14 Cameron Heeps went down off his bike, which proceeded to take out Pirates youngster Vinnie Foord.

Both riders were fine, but Heeps was excluded from the second re-run.

Despite leading the two previous attempts of the heat, Zach Cook was unable to fend off Ashton Boughen, who ensured the two teams went into the final race on level pegging.

Masters, who did not drop a point to a Pirate all evening, managed to nullify Richard Lawson and Brennan’s second and third place finishes in heat 15, causing a superheat to be required to separate the two sides.

Heading into the second bend of lap one in the superheat Brennan’s back wheel caught Masters, causing the Cheetahs star to come off his bike.

No rider was deemed at fault, or at least to the point of exclusion, so all four returned for a second go.

Once again Masters proved to have the better of Poole, leading teammate Nicholls to secure a 7-2 and the win on the night.

Cheetahs 45 (7) – Masters 14+1 (4), Killeen 3, Jenkins 4+1, Heeps 4, Nicholls 11 (3), Boughen 4, Hook (Guest) 5+1.

Pirates 45 (2) – Lawson 11 (2), Thompson (Guest) 0, Brennan 9+1 (0), Z Cook 7+2, B Cook 5+2, Hagon 12, Foord 1+1.