The Eastbourne Eagles continued the fine form that saw them thr ough to this seasons Knockout Cup Final last weekend as they turned in a simply devastating display at Peterborough’s East of England Showground on Thursday evening, the Sussex squad rounding off their travelling Elite League engagements in style with a runaway 54-39 victory against the local Panthers, one that witnessed their fourth away success of the campaign.
It was a truly fantastic showing by the Eagles on what has seldom been regarded one of their happier hunting grounds, moreover Peterborough’s wide open spaces would generally be labelled one of their more ominous destinations.
With the Panthers having produced a powerhouse display to see off the challenge of play off qualifiers, Swindon Robins at the venue just three days earlier, with Eagles own hopes of a top four finish now effectively at an end and Peterborough looking to utilise their remaining home fixtures (they still have five home league matches to contest prior to the 25th September cut off) to move away from the lower reaches of the table and escape a possible relegation playoff, many feared another disappoint ing night for the Eagles at the location.
They couldn’t have been more wrong however, whilst the Panthers were set to suffer just one of those nights, returning number one Ryan Sullivan looking particularly out of sorts with a lowly 3-point return, down the line, the Eagles were simply in awesome form as they once more displayed the determination and steely resolve that had ended the Knockout Cup hopes of the Lakeside Hammers last Saturday.
Star of the show for the Sussex side was undoubtedly Edward Kennett who having been unceremoniously dumped into the safety air fence in his first outing, picked himself up to win the rerun and then he reeled off three further flying victories to complete a glorious 12-point maximum.
The dedication shown by the remainder was no less impressive however, Simon Gustafsson also being paid for the round dozen from his five outings from the reserve berth while Lewis Bridger also continued a magnificent turnaround in his form, two wins included in his double figure 10 (paid 12) point return.
Skipper Lee Richardson returned 9-points (paid 11) and Scott Nicholls totalled 7-points (paid 8) and while they might have been content for the youngsters to take the spotlight, their respective tallies were undoubtedly vital to the success.
Cameron Woodward shared in two 5-1 successes as he amassed his paid 8-point return, the first (with Richardson in heat three) setting the Eagles on the road to success and the second (with Gustasson in the penultimate race) finally setting the seal on a famous victory for the Sussex side.
A special mention should also be reserved for James Brundle, although on the night the youngster failed to trouble the scorers, as per usual he demonstrated 110% effort and was seldom far from the action.
The scores stood at 6-points apiece following the opening two races but though the travelling contingent might have considered that an acceptable start, back to back 5-1’s raised the ante, setting the scores at 16-8 in favour of the visitors.
The Panthers secured one of only two heat advantages on the night in an enthralling heat 7, the resultant 4-2 narrowing the difference slightly to 6-points (24-18) but the Eagles hit straight back with a similar advantage of their own in the eighth and a further 4-2 three races on (also inspired by a Bridger victory) stretched the margin to double figures (38-28) and opened Panthers up to the opportunity of tactical changes.
At times in the past the Sussex side has struggled to contain the tactical ride but although Kenneth Bjerre duly took the win (and the 6-points) in the black and white helmet to spark Panthers second heat advantage in the twelfth, a fall for the impressive Claus Vissing (while well adrift of field) curtailed their hopes of an=2 08-1 and bolstered the Eagles position.
A brace of 5-1’s, however unlikely, would still have propelled Panthers into a last heat decider, but events were to go completely the other way, the visitors thumping in back to back maximum’s, the first seeing Kennett complete his full house ahead of Nicholls, the second rounding off a superb display along with Woodward and one that saw Eagles breach the half century mark and set the victory in stone.
Bjerre had the final word for the Panthers, leading from the front to deny both Bridger and Richardson and land himself the Panthers Man of the Match award, but Sullivan cut a forlorn figure at the rear of the field and sparked questions as to his inclusion on the race at the post match press conference.
Indeed far more had been expected from Sullivan throughout the night and following a dominant display from the Australian against Swindon earlier in the week as the first race came to tapes, the travelling supporters were undoubtedly concerned as to their side’s chances.
Indeed Peterborough did supply the winner of heat one but it was another recent returnee, Lukas Dryml who streaked away from the start, Nicholls and Bridger in hot pursuit but, somewhat surprisingly, Sullivan was seldom in the hunt.
A 3-3 would certainly have been considered a credible opening but it was to remain all square as Gustafsson rode a robust first two bends to emerge clear of the field. Vissing kept the young Swede in his sights throughout the four laps but that was as close as he was destined to get, Ty Proctor following on in third place for the second successive share of the spoils.
It was at that point however that the Eagles were set to soar and establish firm control of the fixture. Richardson sped clear of the rest as he cleared turn two and the travelling fans joy was compounded as Woodward cut through the middle of Panthers duo Henning Bager and Bjerre (who looked far from the rider who was later to speed to three wins) at the same point, anchoring the visitors first 5-1 of the evening. Bager maintained pressure on the Aussie for much of the course but it was to no avail, Bjerre pulling up towards the end of the race, the 5-1 setting the scores at 11-7.
Though the Eastbourne contingent were understandably on a high at that point, the mood was soon punctured as Vissing lost control on the apex of bends one and two in the fourth, turning right and slamming Kennett into the air barrier. Anxious moments followed but the Eastbourne man was soon on his feet and able to walk back to the pits unaided.
The jubilant disposition was swiftly restored however, as Kennett and Gustafsson returned to the start to face the lone Daniel King, Vissing havin g been excluded by referee Paul Carrington as the cause of the stoppage, and together the pair gated ahead of the Peterborough rider and blazed away for Eagles second successive maximum, one that doubled their advantage to 8-points, 16-8, an almost unheard of scenario for an Eastbourne team at the East of England Showground.
There may well have been a third straight success, Nicholls and Bridger being pulled up when in one and two, heat five having been adjudged an unsatisfactory start, Nicholls being warned to remain stationary at the tapes. Bjerre produced a fine effort to take the rerun, but with the Eagles pair shutting the door on Bager, the 3-3 served to protect their team’s 8-point cushion, one that now stood at 19-11.
With Dryml having shown such fleet of foot in heat one, and combined with the unlikelihood of Sullivan suffering a similar poor ride, many felt that race six would see the Panthers start to claw their way back into the match. However, another brilliant outing for Kennett dispelled such fears, the Eagle taking the race at a canter ahead of Sullivan while Dryml didn’t appear nearly so dominant as he earlie r had.
Arguably the race of the night so far followed in heat seven, it was just unfortunate from an Eastbourne perspective that this should coincide with Panthers first advantage of the match.
Richardson gated well once again but King swooped around his outside down the back straight to take the win. The best of the action was being played out behind them however, Woodward engaged in a four lap duel with fellow Countryman Proctor for possession of the third place point. There was little to separate them, but the advantage went the way of the Panthers reserve, the subsequent 4-2 reducing the margin slightly to six-points, 24-18.
There have been times when a sudden collapse would have been in prospect, but this was an Eastbourne team brimming with confidence and self worth, and that was demonstrated in20no small way as Bridger and Gustafsson streaked ahead of Vissing and Dryml in the 5-1 position.
Vissing did produce a determined effort to pass Gustafsson in the mid part, however the 4-2 served to restore the visitors 8-point lead (now 28-20) while not extending it to 10-points which could have caused tactics to come into play.
That facility was to be delayed for a couple more races at least, heat 9 seeing Kennett extend his winning sequence to three races as he outgunned both Vissing and Bager, the tenth resulting in Dryml finding his gating boots once more, a runaway win at the expense of Richardson and Woodward both once again it was Sullivan who trailed the field looking quite uncomfortable in the conditions.
The Eagles lead finally hit double figures following the eleventh, Bridger in points hungry mood once more, securing the win ahead of King while Nicholls followed on in third place, Proctor trailing the field, the 4-2 – Eagles second open ing up a 10-point gap, the progressive scores reading 38-28.
The Panthers management didn’t delay in nominating Bjerre to take the tactical ride, the best use of which would have seen the hard worked for Eastbourne lead slashed to just 3-points. That wasn’t about to happen however! Although Bjerre did his job and obtained the 6-points, courtesy of a flying win, Gustafsson and Richardson tucked in neatly behind him and while the 6-3 (which eventually reduced the difference to 7-points – 41-34) always appeared the likely outcome, it was made certain as Vissing took a tumble on the third bend of lap two.
Time was now running out for the Panthers, 7-points adrift with only three races remaining but their misery was about to be compounded in the next as Kennett roared away to complete his maximum followed closely by Nicholls for the 5-1, once again ahead of the out of sorts Sullivan with King trailing in at the back.
Only an 8-1 could possibly save the home sides blushes now and Dryml was duly the man nominated to do the job from 15 metres back as a tactical substitute but with Gustafsson and Woodward quickly moving clear of Bager for a second successive maximum advantage, neither Panther got a sniff of them and the Eagles had won the match.
It might have proved some consolation to the beleaguered Panthers contingent as Bjerre took the chequered flag to chalk up his third win and complete a top scoring 13 (paid 14) point haul. Not so satisfying for them however must have been the sight of Sullivan trailing in last place for the third time, well adrift of both Bridger and Richardson.
So the Eagles closed their Elite League travelling account in the way they had started with a victory (their opening away league match at Coventry having resulted in a 47-43 win). It was certainly a night to cheer the travelli ng Eastbourne fans and while it maybe have come to late to resurrect their Play Off hopes, with a Knockout Cup Final appearance against either Poole or Coventry to look forward to, the Pirates looking the likely candidates having enjoyed a 56-36 victory in their semi-final replay first leg at Wimborne Road, the Sussex side might just be running into form at the perfect time.
Scorers :
Panthers : Kenneth Bjerre 13+1(5), Lukas Dryml 7+1(5), Daniel King 6(4), Claus Vissing 6(5), Ryan Sullivan 3(5), Ty Proctor 2+1(3), Henning Bager 2(3), – 39
Eagles : Edward Kennett 12(4), Simon Gustafsson 11+1(5), Lewis Bridger 10+2(5), Lee Richardson 9+2(5), Scott Nicholls 7+1(4), Cameron Woodward 5+3(4), James Brundle 0(3) – 54
PETERBOROUGH 39
R.Sullivan 0 2 0 1 0 - 3
L.Dryml 3 1* 0 3 0† - 7+1
K.Bjerre 0 3 1* 6^ 3 - 13+1
H.Bager 1 0 N 1 - 2
D.King 1 3 2 0 - 6
T.Proctor 1* 1 0 N ; - 2+1
C.Vissing 2 X/F 2 2 0 - 6
Team manager : Trevor Swales
EASTBOURNE 54
S.Nicholls 2 2 1 2* - 7+1
L.Bridger 1* 1* 3 3 2 - 10+2
L.Richardson 3 2 2 1* 1* - 9+2
C.Woodward 2* 0&nb sp; 1* 2* - 5+3
E.Kennett 3 3 3 3 - 12
S.Gustafsson 3 2* N 1 N 2 3 - 11+1
J.Brundle 0 N 200 N 0 - 0
Team manager : Trevor Geer
Referee : Paul Carrington
HEAT DETAILS
1 Dryml, Nicholls, Bridger, Sullivan, 60.8 (3-3)
2 Gustafsson, Vissing, Proctor, Brundle, 61.0 (6-6)
3 Richardson, Woodward, Bager, Bjerre, 61.0 (7-11)
4 (Rerun) Kennett, Gustafsson (res. repl.), King, Vissing (exc.fell), 61.3 (8-16)
5 (Restart – unsatisfactory) Bjerre, Nicholls, Bridger, Bager, 60.7 (1 1-19)
6 Kennett, Sullivan, Dryml, Brundle (res.repl.), 61.5 (14-22)
7 King, Richardson, Proctor, Woodward, 60.9 (18-24)
8 Bridger, Vissing, Gustafsson, Dryml, 61.4 (20-28)
9 Kennett, Vissing (res. repl.), Bjerre, Brundle (res.repl.), 62.5 (23-31)
10 Dryml, Richardson, Woodward, Sullivan, 61.4 (26-34)
11 Bridger, King, Nicholls, Proctor, 62.1 (28-38)
12 Bjerre^, Gustafsson, Richardson, Vissing (fell rem.), 62.3 (34-41)
=0 A
13 Kennett, Nicholls, Sullivan, King, 62.4 (35-46)
14 Gustafsson (res.repl.), Woodward, Bager, Dryml†, 62.9 (36-51)
15 Bjerre, Bridger, Richardson, Sullivan, 62.4 (39-54)
