UNDER-strength Eastbourne Eagles turned in a superb performance to narrowly beat league leaders Swindon at Arlington on Saturday.
A thrilling match came to a tumultuous end as the Eagles scored a 4-2 heat advantage in heat 15 to take the points.
Scott Nicholls and Edward Kennett were the home side’s heroes as they came from the back to secure a backs-to-the-wall victory.
Eastbourne went into the match without reserves James Brundle (injured) and Simon Gustaffson (riding in Sweden). Captain Lee Richardson was carrying a hand injury picked up in a crash in Poland on Thursday. For the reserve positions, Eastbourne were forced to draft in Brent Werner and Nick Simmons from the Premier League.
As the riders went to tapes for the final heat the scores were locked at 42-42.
Swindon’s Leigh Adams made the gate and led Nicholls. Nicholls executed a brilliant cut back off turn two on the opening lap and edged past Adams into the lead but McGowan had passed Kennett for third.
If the race had stayed like that the result would have been a draw.
But Kennett had other ideas as he chased down McGowan and passed him as the crowd went wild.
Nicholls and Kennett had also come from the back in heat 13 to record a 3-3 when at one stage it looked as if Swindon would take a 5-1.
Adams won the race but Nicholls eventually got the better of Troy Batchelor. Kennett rode a storming last lap and went inside Batchelor on the third turn of the final lap. The Swindon rider fell but the race continued.
There were many exciting races as the Eagles battled to overcome the odds and hold off Swindon.
Here’s how the action unfolded.
Nicholls set the tone for the Eagles in heat one by defeating Adams. In the early stages Lewis Bridger was in second place but fell to last for a 3-3 result.
Heat two illustrated Eastbourne’s problems at reserve. Swindon’s Seb Alden and Theo Pijper completed a tapes to flag victory for a 5-1 heat win with Brent Werner and Nick Simmons not able to get on terms after slow starts.
McGowan beat Woodward in a lively scrap to win heat three while Lee Richardson won his dice with Mads Korneliussen for another drawn heat.
The run of 3-3s continued with Kennett squeezing past Troy Batchelor to win heat four.
Eastbourne narrowed the gap to two points in heat five. Richardson was an untroubled winner but it was Adams who provided all the excitement after making a stuttering start.
Once his machine got up to speed the Australian swept into action. He began to harry Eagles’ Cameron Woodward before going past with an inside run off turn three. He cut the corner so finely that his back wheel clipped the kerb. Instead of throwing him off, it seemed to give Adams more speed to go past into second place.
It was Nicholls’ turn in heat six to show Grand Prix class. He made a beautiful cut-back to pass Batchelor and with Bridger third the scores were now level at 18-18.
Kennett showed his fighting spirit in heat seven by passing Travis McGowan on the third lap. He went inside the Australian to take the lead. McGowan fell and was excluded. It gave Simmons a fortuitous point that at the final reckoning was to prove vital.
The 4-2 put Eastbourne into the lead for the first time at 22-20.
A 3-3 followed in heat eight with a straightforward win by Bridger.
Eastbourne extended the lead to 29-25 when Woodward passed Batchelor to win the race with Richardson taking a comfortable third place.
Briefly in heat ten it seemed as if Eastbourne might score a 5-1 with Nicholls and Bridger leading from the gate. But Bridger mono-wheeled out of turn two and was passed by both visitors for the race to finish all square.
Swindon closed the gap to just two points with Adams’ first win of the night in heat 11 ahead of Kennett with James Wright beating Simmons for third.
Eastbourne maintained their narrow lead with a 3-3 in heat 12 thanks to a straight forward win by Richardson.
The fans were then treated to the thrills of heat 13 before Swindon levelled the scores at 42 all thanks to a sharp start by Seb Alden who held on for four laps despite Woodward trying all routes to pass his rival. Simmons, not surprisingly could not get in touch with McGowan and Swindon had a 4-2 heat win.
Heat 15 decided the meeting and cometh the hour, cometh the men . . . Nicholls and Kennett delivered to send the big crowd home happy.
Eastbourne: Scott Nicholls 14, Edward Kennett 10 (1), Lee Richardson 8(1), Cameron Woodward 8, Lewis Bridger 4, Nick Simmons 2, Brent Werner 0.
Swindon: Leigh Adams 12, Seb Alden 10 (2), Travis McGowan 6, Troy Batchelor 6, Mads Korneilussen 5(1), James Wright 3 (1), Theo Pijper 2 (1).
Score chart
EASTBOURNE
Scott Nicholls: 3 3 3 2 3 14
Lewis Bridger: 0 1 3 0 4
Lee Richardson: 1* 3 1 3 8 (1)
Cameron Woodward: 2 1 3 2 8
Edward Kennett: 3 3 2 1* 1 10 (1)
Nick Simmons: 1 1 0 0 2
Brent Werner: 0 0 0 R 0
SWINDON
Leigh Adams: 2 2 3 3 2 12
James Wright: 1* 0 1* 1 3 (2)
Mads Korneliussen: 0 2 1* 2 5 (1)
Travis McGowan: 3 F 2 1 0 6
Troy Batchelor: 2 2 2 F 6
Theo Pijper: 2* 0 0 2 (1)
Sebastian Alden: 3 1* 2 1* 3 10 (2)
Referee: Mr Paul Carrington
Heat Details:
Ht1: Nicholls, Adams, Wright, Bridger, 55.4 (3-3)
Ht2: Alden, Pijper, Simmons, Werner, 58.2 (4- 8)
Ht3: McGowan, Woodward, Richardson, Korneliussen 57.0 (7-11)
Ht4: Kennett, Batchelor, Alden, Werner, 57.0 (10-14)
Ht5: Richardson, Adams, Woodward, Wright, 56.3 (14-16)
Ht6: Nicholls, Batchelor, Bridger, Pijper, 56.6 (18-18)
Ht7: Kennett, Korneliussen, Simmons, McGowan (fell), awarded (22-20)
Ht8: Bridger, Alden, Wright, Werner, 56.9 (25-23)
Ht9: Woodward, Batchelor, Richardson, Pijper, 57.5 (29-25)
Ht10: Nicholls, McGowan, Korneliussen, Bridger, 56.9 (32-28)
Ht11: Adams, Kennett, Wright, Simmons, 56.9 (34-32)
Ht12: Richardson, Korneliussen, Alden, Werner (retired) 57.7 (37-35)
Ht13: Adams, Nicholls, Kennett, Batchelor (fell), 56.8, (40-38)
Ht14: Alden, Woodward, McGowan, Simmons, 57.9, (42-42)
Ht15: Nicholls, Adams, Kennett, McGowan, 56.5, (46-44)
