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1ST TEAM MEETING FOR 2009 IN THE BAG FOR THE EAGLES! |
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Mon 23 Mar 2009
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| Posted by
Jenni with thanks to Eastbourne Eagles Website. |
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EASTBOURNE EAGLES 49 - POOLE PIRATES 41
ELITE LEAGUE SHIELD – 1st LEG : SUNDAY 22nd MARCH 2009
Australian sensation Davey Watt made a triumphant return to Sussex to lead the Eastbourne Eagles to a notable 49-41 victory over reigning Elite League Champions, the Poole Pirates in the first leg of Speedway’s Elite League Shield at Arlington stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Indeed Watt led the charge with three wins in the latter part of the meeting to cement the Sussex outfits triumph over their South Coast rivals but in truth it proved to be an impressive all round display from the home side, reserve Simon Gustafsson particularly catching the eye with a double figure return and a deserved call up for the top scorers race.
All of the Eagles were among the points, whereas the visitors bore something of a top heavy appearance, the heat leader trio of Bjarne Pedersen, Chris Holder and the rejuvenated Joe Screen all scoring emphatically but there was little to show elsewhere save for a couple of impressive outings for Daniel Davidsson, Carl Stonehewer particularly appearing out of sorts failing to get off the mark in no fewer than seven outings.
As the tapes arose for heat 1, it was the Pirates who were to draw first blood as Grand Prix exponent Pedersen was fastest off the blocks and he was to lead all the way heading Eastbourne Captain Watt. Cameron Woodward was the first of the home riders into the first turn but he was to trade places with his partner in mid race, the pair of them leaving Stonehewer trailing in their wake.
It was the Sussex side who looked set to seize early control of the fixture as Ricky Kling leapt from the start in heat two and with Gustafsson taking the wide line around the second bend the pair led in the 5-1 position. A momentary loss of concentration for Kling saw Kyle Legault take second place in the mid part but with Stonehewer again well to the back, the Eagles 4-2 saw them lead 7-5.
The balance looked set to be redressed in the next but a bizarre twist of circumstances saw the home side double their advantage to 11-7 following an aw arded third race. As the riders hit the first turn it was the Poole duo of Davidsson and Screen who led, Lewis Bridger looking to get on terms following a ragged start. His industry quickly paid dividends as he dashed past Screen on the second lap but although Davidsson remained in his sights he seldom looked likely to reel in the Swede.
That was until the second to last turn however as Davidsson inexplicably took a tumble, Bridger swiftly laying his machine down to avoid him. Referee Dan Holt had little recourse but to exclude the Poole rider, Bridger being awarded the verdict ahead of Screen with Lukas Dryml being gifted the odd point for the 4-2.
The Eagles moved further into the ascendency in the fourth, Gustafsson grabbing his second win of the afternoon, with Eastbourne icon David Norris moving through on Holder’s (one of the Elite League’s top rider in 2008) inside out of the second bend to leave the Australian well and truly trailing.
With Eagles now leading 16-8, the Pirates rallied slightly, Pedersen leading all the way from Dryml, showing improved form to that of his first outing, and Bridger in the fifth and then Holder redeemed himself in the next, withstanding Watt’s early challenge to snatch a second successive share of the spoils, one that effectively halted the Eagles march.
It was at that moment that the visitors began to reel in their hosts. Davidsson and Screen were swiftly out of the start in race seven and try though he might Norris found himself unable to make any impression on the pair, Screen having passed his partner heading into lap three for the win.
This saw the difference reduce to 4-points once more, the Eagles still holding the lead at 23-19 and that margin remained in place following heat eight, a race that saw Screen seize a second successive victory, one following a vintage mid race pass of the previously unbeaten Gustafsson. With Woodward making up f or an untidy second bend to get the better of Legault however, the afternoon’s fourth 3-3 saw the Eagles protect their lead, one that now stood at 26-22.
Holder looked a class apart in heat nine but despite an early break down in communications between Dryml and Bridger, Stonehewer again appeared well off the pace and subsequently a fifth shared heat moved the scores to 29-25 in favour of the Sussex side.
Once again, the home side began to exert control in the race heading into the interval however, Watt and Woodward each showing a clean pair of heels to the previously impressive Screen, the 5-1 restoring the Eagles 8-point cushion, one that now stood at 34-26 with just five of the fifteen heats remaining.
Pedersen romped to his third win at the expense of Norris as the action resumed but with Kling withstanding Stonehewer s attentions the race spoils were again split, the 8-point difference still remained in place, the scores now moving to 37-29.
The Pirates looked set to snip some from the deficit as the match headed towards a conclusion, Screen forging an early lead over Bridger in the twelfth, while Stonehewer momentarily moved through to join his partner in the 5-1 position. It wasn’t destined to remain that way however and although Screen was seldom challenged, both Bridger, then Gustafsson fought their way past the former Grand Prix rider, Stonehewer suffering a fall on the final turn having just been passed by the Swede.
With Pedersen unbeaten and Holder looking in ominous form, many felt that heat 13 would see the Pirates fight their way back into the reckoning, however former Poole rider Watt was determined to strike a blow against former team mates and having scorched through on the inside of the Poole duo coming out of the second bend, there was to be no catching the flying Aussie.
Indeed Watt was set to repeat the feat, two heats later but the match was effectively sewn up in the penultimate race as Gustafsson and Dryml combined for yet another share of the points, following home Davidsson to protect the 8-point home (now 46-38) with just that final heat remaining.
Indeed Watt was again the man in form in the last, repeating his inside swoop of both Pedersen Holder to lead all the way and rubber stamp a highly creditable Eastbourne performance.
Gustafsson was wholly deserving of his call up for the top scorers race but although he just failed to get among the points it rounded off a more than impressive showing, one that ensured the Arlington faithful would file out of the stadium with smiles on their faces.
Scorers :
Eagles : Davey Watt 13(5), Simon Gustafsson 11+1(6), Lewis Bridger 7+2(4), Lukas Dryml 6+1(4), Cameron Woodward 5+4(4), David Norris 5+1(4), Ricky Kling 2+1(3) – 49
Pirates : Bjarne Pedersen 12+1(5), Joe Screen 12(5), Chris Holder 10+1(5), Daniel Davidsson 5+1(5), Kyle Legault 2(3), Carl Stonehewer 0(7), Rider Replacement for Jason Doyle – 41
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