Eastbourne Eagles 54, Lakeside Hammers 39
Eagles win 95 - 91 on aggregate SATURDAY night's Knock-out Cup semi-final proved a match too far for the much-changed and injury-depleted Hammers, who included three guests at Arlington.

Serious injuries to key riders Adam Shields, Jonas Davidsson and Joonas Kylmakorpi gave them enough of a handicap in defending their 11 point first leg lead, but in addition they were without Andreas Jonsson, who was taking part in the Latvian Grand Prix.

It was a brave effort from the makeshift Hammers and they took the match to the last leg.

With the scores tied on aggregate going into heat 15, Lee Richardson and Lewis Bridger raced to a 5-1 over Hammers' guests Rory Schlein and Kevin Doolan to claim a place in the final.

It was a very disappointing end to the meeting, the makeshift Hammers putting in plenty of effort to draw level on aggregate going into the final heat.

The toss for gate positions for the last race proved vital as gate four was fruitless all evening - there wasn't a single heat victory from that gate and only 12 points were scored from it all night.

Guests Doolan and Schlein rode very well for the Hammers, working really hard all evening. Doolan was edged out in his opening ride and could not pass the Eagles team riding pair once Schlein had taken the lead.

Then, in his third ride, the Hammers were on the wrong end of a 5-1 with Schlein taking up the chase.

Hammers' other guest Billy Janniro started well but had carburation problems as the came across the line in his third ride and he struggled thereafter despite changing machinery.

Ultimately it was a match that the Hammers did well to take the Eagles to a last heat decider despite missing all of our top four. The Lakeside men must now concentrate on the League and the Craven Shield Final.

Eagles: 1. Rider Replacement; 2. Lewis Bridger 13+3; 3. Lee Richardson 14+1; 4. Cameron Woodward 7+2; 5. Edward Kennett 10; 6. Simon Gustafsson 9+1; 7. James Brundle 1.

Hammers: 1. Rider Replacement; 2. Leigh Lanham 2; 3. Rory Schlein 16; 4. Kevin Doolan 7+1; 5. Billy Janniro 6; 6. Ricky Kling 7+2; 7. Lubos Tomicek 1.

Heat-by-heat:
1: Bridger, Woodward, Janniro, Lanham (5-1) 56.4
2: Gustafsson, Kling, Brundle, Tomicek (4-2) (9-3) 56.3
3: Schlein, Woodward, Richardson, Doolan (3-3) (12-6) 56.3
4: Janniro, Kling, Brundle, Kennett (fell exc) (1-5) (13-11) 57.3
5: Richardson, Schlein, Woodward, Lanham (4-2) (17-13)
6: Kennett, Janniro, Bridger, Tomicek (4-2) (21-15) 57.0
7: Schlein, Doolan, Kennett, Brundle (1-5) (22-20) 56.3
8: Bridger, Gustafsson, Lanham, Kling (5-1) (27-21) 56.6
9: Richardson, Woodward, Tomicek, Janniro (ret) (5-1) (32-22) 56.6
10: Richardson, Bridger, Schlein, Doolan (5-1) (37-23) 56.6
11: Kennett, Doolan, Gustafsson, Kling (4-2) (41-25) 57.4
12: Schlein (tactical ride), Kling, Richardson, Gustafsson (1-8) 42-33) 57.3
13: Kennett, Bridger, Lanham, Janniro (ret) (5-1) (47-34) 57.7
14: Doolan, Gustafsson, Kling, Woodward (2-4) (49-38) 57.8
15: Richardson, Bridger, Schlein, Doolan (5-1) (54-39) 57.8

  • JONSSON finished fifth in the Grand prix meeting, which was won Australian Jason Crump, his second Grand priz success of the season. RESULT: Jason Crump (Aus) 19, Nicki Pedersen (Den) 18, Tomasz Gollob (Pol) 16, Greg Hancock (USA) 13, Andreas Jonsson (Swe) 10, Chris Harris (GB) 9, Leigh Adams (Aus) 9, Bjarne Pedersen (Den) 7, Hans Andersen (Den) 7, Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 7, Scott Nicholls (GB) 7, Krzysztof Kasprzak (Pol) 7, Lukas Dryml (Cze) 7, Rune Holta (Pol) 4, Grigory Laguta (Rus) 2, Niels-Kristian Iversen (Den) 1, Maxims Bogdanovs (Rus, res) 0.

OVERALL STANDINGS: Nicki Pedersen 134, Jason Crump 118, Greg Hancock 102, Tomasz Gollob 98, Hans Andersen 91, Leigh Adams 89, Andreas Jonsson 71, Fredrik Lindgren 59, Rune Holta 57, Scott Nicholls 52, Niels-Kristian Iversen 49, Chris Harris 49, Bjarne Pedersen 45, Krzysztof Kasprzak 38, Lukas Dryml 32.