Sussex speedway outfit, Eastbourne Eagles face arguably their toughest test of the season to date as Elite League leaders, the Swindon Robins head to Arlington stadium (7.30 p.m. start time) this Saturday evening.

Little more than a few weeks ago, such an observation might have been met with raised eyebrows or a measure of disbelief throughout speedway circles, the make up of the Wiltshire side being more considered as likely contenders for the wooden spoon by many and openly derided by some as the 2008 season got underway.

However, Team Manager Alun Rossiter and his charges should be applauded for the way in which they’ve answered their detractors, taking all that negativity and turning it into one huge positive, and ramming such logic back down the throats of the pre-season gloom merchants.

Still unbeaten around their own Abbey stadium circuit, though a recent 45-45 draw with the Ipswich Witches might have been considered something of a close shave, and on the back of travelling victory’s away to Belle Vue as well as those same Witches in front of the SKY Sports cameras, the Blunsdon outfit arrive in Sussex handily placed at the top of the pile with an impressive 15-points to show from the eight matches they’ve so far contested.

Indeed, last Monday’s, another in front of the SKY viewing public as well as a considerable home attendance, convincing 56-37 victory against the Eagles put them a full 6-points ahead of their Sussex rivals who slipped into third place on the strength of that showing. Although still level on 9-points with the Lakeside Hammers, the team who moved into the runner up slot in their wake the Sussex men have now ridden one more match than the Robins and two more than the Purfleet club and therefore it is imperative, at least from their perspective, that in order to keep pace with those in the Play Off positions, Saturday night presents something of a ‘must win’ fixture for Eastbourne.

Though Swindon trailed the Craven Shield qualifying group, one that also contained the Eagles as well as the Poole Pirates who now seemed destined to contest the competition final against Lakeside following a hefty semi-final first leg victory over the Coventry Bees on Wednesday, the Robins first gave notice they weren’t prepared to accept the role of also ran’s this year with a stunning two-legged Elite Shield defeat of Coventry.

This result undoubtedly sparked widespread jubilation throughout the Swindon set up, the Robins having been runners up, agonisingly, in all three major competitions to the Bees in 2007, however, even then, it still didn’t quite send out the message to the rest of the Speedway populace of what was about to follow. That realisation finally dawned as the Wiltshire side swept aside the Eastbourne challenge in somewhat ruthless fashion last Monday evening, in the process condemning then to their third away defeat in the space of six days, a result that installed clear daylight between Swindon and the chasing pack at the head of the Elite League table.

The Eagles of course still hold high aspirations with regard to the coming season, and having occupied the top spot themselves, albeit in the early weeks of the season, it is understandably a position they would clearly delight in holding again.

Tomorrow evening sees them take the first rung on the catch up ladder; one they hope will eventually see them depose the Robins from their lofty perch.

In order to do so however, they must overcome something of a dilemma in the reserve berth. On Saturday, Simon Gustafsson will unfortunately be absent on Swedish domestic duty while James Brundle still faces a spell on the injury sidelines having crashed heavily at Poole during the League fixture between the teams last week. Between them, the pair had built up quite an understanding, particularly around Arlington in the early weeks of the season and their collective loss tomorrow (Saturday) presents the Eagles management with something of a problem. At the time of going to press, they were still evaluating options as to who might come in to fill the void.

However, they also know that the five senior members of the team will each have to be at the very top of their game if they are to compensate, and effectively fend off the considerable threat posed by the Robins.     
 
Teams :
 
Eagles : 1. Scott Nicholls, 2. Lewis Bridger, 3. Lee Richardson (Captain), 4. Cameron Woodward, 5. Edward Kennett, 6. Guest for Simon Gustafsson, 7. Guest for James Brundle
 
Robins : 1. Leigh Adams (Captain), 2. James Wright, 3. Mads Korneliussen, 4. Travis McGowan, 5. Troy Batchelor, 6. Theo Pijper, 7. Sebastian Alden