AFTER being married at Poole on Saturday, “Ginger” Nicholls, member of Swindon’s new speedway team - the “Robins” - dashed by car with his bride to the Stadium for the opening match with Oxford “Cheetahs” to register the fastest time of 82 4-5 seconds and finish top scorer with 11 points from his four rides.

Having beaten Bert Croucher, the Oxford captain, into second place in the tenth heat when they were both undefeated after three rides, Nicholls approached the last heat with his first ever maximum in sight and with the “Robins” needing first and second place to draw the match.

Riding in the usual fearless style after the heat had been re-run because Ivor Atkinson, Swindon’s other representative, had crashed into the safety fence, Nicholls tailed Wright all the way round, but the Oxford rider hugged the line too close to allow him to get through and held him back into second place.

In the original race Atkinson lost control after a bump on the bend and was hurled against the wire.

He recovered and walked back to the pits after five minutes’ treatment, but had to retire from the re-run.

In addition to Atkinson, who was badly shaken, two other Swindon riders had falls.

Terry Jones injured his leg muscles and Paul Best dislocated his shoulder.

The Robins gave an excellent show in scoring 39 points in reply to the Division 3 side’s 45.

Swindon kept close enough after Nicholls had given them a good start with a win in the first heat, but they had a bad set back in the ninth heat when Gray and Rawlings collected five points to give Oxford a 31 - 23 lead.

The “Robins” showed their spirit by fighting back and winning 14 points to Oxford’s ten in the next four heats.

Tom Wilson, the Stratton St. Margaret grass track rider, gave one of the most promising performances, riding second in three of his four races in his first “cinders” meeting.

The track was opened by Miss Patricia Dainton, 19-year-old Associated British actress, who is at present starring with Dennis Price in the Technicolour film of Ivor Novello “The Dancing Years”.

After cutting the red and white tape across the starting gate Miss Dainton circled the track in her car and later congratulated Swindon’s winning riders.

Points winners were: Swindon - Nicholls 11, Lambourne (captain) 7, Hughes 6, Wilson 6, Downton 5, Atkinson 4, total 39.

Oxford - Croucher 11, Wright 10, Rawlings 8, Gray 6, Viccary 4, Elliott 3, Osborne 3, total 45.