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EASTBOURNE EAGLES 52 - COVENTRY BEES 44 |
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Fri 7 Aug 2009
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| Posted by
jenni |
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Full race report thanks to Elite Eagles Website.
Cameron 15 points
While their future remains clouded in a degree of uncertainty, on Monday night at Arlington stadium an injury ravaged Eastbourne Eagles certainly ensured that the present was a pretty good place to be as they put the Elite League play off bound Coventry Bees to the sword, securing their second home victory of the season over the Brandon outfit, this time by an impressive 52-44 margin.
Despite conceding a first race 5-1, the Eagles quickly levelled things with a similar reply in the next and then they proceeded to construct a lead, 4-2’s in heats 3, 4 and 6 combining with a titanic 5-1 in the fifth to open up a 10-point, 23-13 margin and thereafter, despite the odd anxious moment, it was an advantage they seldom appeared likely to relinquish.
Coventry, with Edward Kennett in particular looking sharp conspired to keep things close with a brace of 6-point tactical ride victory’s, one for Kennett and one for Chris Harris but those, along with a 4-2 in race 12 that reduced the disparity slightly to 8-points, 43-35, were to proved their only heat successes beyond their maximum opening. They might have considered themselves unfortunate however, a couple of refereeing working against them with both Rory Schlein, in the ninth, and then Harris being disqualified following falls, the latter in the all important l ast race when a valuable point remained well within Coventry’s grasp.
Bees team manager Peter Oakes made representations to the official Phil Griffin, as did the riders themselves following both incidents but with the decisions having already been made, there was to be no recourse.
Lewis Bridger and Cameron Woodward led the charge for the Sussex side, both contributing double figure returns but they were to receive solid support throughout the order, a welcome return to form for reserve Ricky Kling and another notable guest outing for former Eagle Paul Hurry, top scorer in their 55-37 defeat by Lakeside last Friday of course, each of whom being paid for 9-points proving the highlights.
With the news filtering through from Poland the previous evening that both Simon Gustafsson and Lukas Dryml had taken knocks and would be ruled of the meeting, that added to the misfortune that recent signing Daniel Nermark20was still not fit to take his place after his recent spill in Eastbourne’s 45-45 draw at Coventry seven days previously, it proved to be a troublesome run up to the contest for the home side.
Eagles problems were tempered somewhat with the knowledge that Bees Olly Allen had also proved a casualty in Poland the previous day this meaning that both sides would operate the rider replacement facility, Coventry for Allen and Gustafsson for Eastbourne.
A few phone calls and some quick thinking by team manager ensured that Joonas Kylmakorpi of Lakeside and Swindon’s Hurry would step up to the plate and although few gave the hosts much hope of preventing their third home reverse on the bounce, both guests rose to the challenge and their input was as valuable as any in Eagles realising an emphatic home victory.
With the teams having traded 5-1’s in heats one and two, the Eagles edged ahead following an absorbing third race, Woodward heading home the wide riding Kennett while Bridger snapped tenaciously at his former team mates heels. Though Kennett was to win that particular contest, the resultant 4-2 had already put the Sussex side on course for the win. They took a step further down that road as Kling supplemented a second heat maximum with partner Hurry by winning heat four at a canter from Schlein, Kylmakorpi taking a somewhat fortunate third place for an overall 14-10 lead after Bees Jordan Frampton parted company with his machine on the final turn when placed second.
Bridger and Woodward had the Arlington crowd on their toes following the next, a tight first turn seeing the Australian move clear of Barker and Harris to join his partner at the front for a much celebrated maximum by the Sussex faithful and a progressive 19-11 advantage.
Watt eventually got the better of fellow countryman Schlein in the next, Kling’s third place extending the home lead to double figures, 23-13.
The Bees looked set to reel them in, Kennett earning 6-points as a tactical ride in the seventh, but although Barker secured their second consecutive heat win, on each occasion, Jordan Frampton proved unable to compound the advantage finishing in last place.
The difference was temporarily back to 7-points (29-22) but a further 5-1 for Bridger and Woodward, as Schlein was ruled out and then a 4-2 as Bridger inflicted Kennett’s second defeat with Watt taking third, suddenly the Sussex lead was standing at 13-points, 38-25 and time was running out for the Play Off hopefuls.
Harris posted Coventry’s second 6-3 with a win in the eleventh but Hurry and Kylmakorpi combined to block out Barker, thus=2 0limiting the damage.
Barker swiftly made amends, becoming only the second visitor to head Bridger to the chequered flag in heat twelve and with Ricky Wells also getting the better of Kling for third place and the 4-2, suddenly the difference stood at 8-points, 43-35 and Coventry knew they were still in with a shout.
They needed to continue the momentum however, but although Harris secured his third win of the night, Kylmakorpi and Watt each knew too much for Schlein and with the race points remaining shared, Bees chances were looking less bright with each turn of the wheel.
Their hopes remained with Kennett and although he didn’t disappoint posting Bees fourth heat victory on the spin ahead of the hard chasing Woodward, the reserve berth was again to prove their Achilles heel, Ricky Wells unable to get the better of Hurry, the visitors remained208-points, 49-41 adrift on conclusion of the four laps.
They retained high hopes of claiming the point that would gave cemented their Play Off future as Kennett and Harris stepped onto the shale (with the benefit of winning the toss for gate positions) to face Eastbourne’s top pair of Bridger and Woodward.
With Kennett again blazing into an early lead, those hopes looked set to be realised as Harris put pressure on the Eagles duo. Disaster was soon to strike and Bridger, Woodward and Harris fell to earth on the first bend of lap two demonstrating the domino effect.
Anxious moments followed as referee Griffin, viewed the SKY Sports footage and it was the Coventry contingent experienced further frustration as the green disqualification light flashed on. Indeed on any other day the decision might have gone the other way, but with that, the stuffing h ad been knocked out of the Coventry challenge. Kennett duly won the rerun but it was the Eagles supporters who were left celebrating a welcome home victory, the 3-3 realising a final 52-44 scoreline.
The Bees will know however, that if they should qualify for the play off latter stages, a scenario that seems likely in light of Peterborough Panthers 45-43 defeat at Belle Vue the same evening, they will know that certain of their number will have to perform much better than this.
Scorers :
Eagles: Lewis Bridger 14(6), Cameron Woodward 12+3(6), Paul Hurry (Guest for Daniel Nermark) 7+2(4), Ricky Kling 7+2(5), Joonas Kylmakorpi (Guest for Lukas Dryml) 7+1(5), Davey Watt 5+1(4), Rider Replacement for Simon Gustafsson. – 52
Bees : Edward Kennett 16(5), Chris Harris 12(5), Ben Barker 9+1(5), Rory Schlein 4(4), Ricky Wells 3(5), Jordan Frampton 0(5), Tommy Allen (No. 8) 0(1), Rider Replacement for Olly Allen. – 44
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