Eagles make The Final

Eastbourne are through to the final of the National League Play Offs.

They will meet Mildenhall home and away this coming week to decide the champions.

Tonight (October 20), the Forman IT Eagles wrapped up the semi-final against Coventry.

They took a first leg lead of 60-30 to the second leg and built on that; ending up with a 40-50 on the night victory to secure a 70-110 win on aggregate.

The first leg of the final is tomorrow (October 21) at Arlington Stadium with a 7.30pm start.

Coventry – Connor Mountain 14(5), Luke Ruddick 7+1 (5), Jamie Halder 6+2 (5), Luke Harris 4(4), Danny Phillips 4(4), Jon Armstrong 4(4), Ryan MacDonald 1(3)

Eagles: Mark Baseby 14(5), Tom Brennan 10(4), Georgie Wood 8+3 (5), Jason Edwards 6+1 (4), Ethan Spiller 6+1(4), Charley Powell 4+1 (4), Charlie Brooks 2+1(4).

Team manager Connor Dugard: “Another superb performance from the team tonight. They knew what the job was and stuck to the task.

“Mark Baseby led from the front and his success inspired everyone in the camp but just look art the score chart – everyone did their bit tonight.”

Here is how the second leg of the semi-final unfolded.

IT is the second leg of the National League Play Off semi-final tonight.

The Forman IT Eagles are facing the Coventry Bees at the Leicester track to win the right to face Mildenhall in the final.

Eastbourne took a firm grip on the tie in the first leg on Wednesday, winning 60-30, although they are expecting to have to successfully repel a massive Coventry attack in the opening heats.

Kevin Ling is trackside for this heat-by-heat update.

Coventry – 1 Connor Mountain, 2 Luke Harris 3 Danny Phillips 4 Luke Ruddick 5 Jon Armstrong 6 Jamie Halder 7 Ryan MacDonald

Eastbourne 1 Georgie Wood 2 Jason Edwards 3 Mark Baseby 4 Ethan Spiller 5 Tom Brennan 6 Charley Powell 7 Charlie Brooks

Slightly chilly but clear evening – not a massive crowd but fair attendance of Eagles fans. Picture shows Eagles on their track walk.

Coventry win toss and take 1 and 3 in heat one.

1 Harris gates and Mountain joins him at front and Bees fightback looks to be making the required start – Georgie rounds Harris out of bend 2 lap two to take second – that’s how it stays – Mountain a comfortable winner from Wood – Harris third for 4-2 though Edwards closing all the time, 4-2, 34-62, time 63.68

2 Halder an all the way winner but Charley P and Charlie B tucked in nicely behind him for a share of the spoils, 3-3, 7-5, 37-65, time 66.81

Just a reminder, the winning post tonight is 91 points or more. That’s the figure needed to go through to face Mildenhall.

3 BOOM>It’s hammer time. Eagles flying high in the third – Phillips gates but both Baseby and Spiller storm past down back straight to lead – Ruddick takes up the chase and presses Spiller but Ethan holds firm, following race winner Mark for maximum points, 1-5, 8-10, 38-70, time 64.81

4 Now Tommy B weighs in. Brennan electric from the start leading Armstrong into first turn – he increases lead with every turn of the wheel and with Charlie Brooks having the beating of Ryan MacDonald for third place and the 4-2 the eagles increase their advantage on the night by a further two 2-4, to make it 10-14 on the night and 40-74 on aggregate, time 65-31

COMMENTARY: Just the start the Forman IT Eagles needed. They will now be looking to push on and put the tie beyond reach of Coventry. A four-point lead on the night has put the Eagles 34 points ahead on aggregate. The Bees will be needing “snookers” soon, if it goes on like this.

5 Edwards gates but Ruddick flies past to lead down back straight – Georgie comes through in second but cannot catch Ruddick while Jason holds third comfortably from Phillips 3-3, 13-17, 43-77, time 64.50

6 Mountain out traps from Tom and that is how things stay. Behind them though Charley P. has the beating of Harris so another share of the spoils moves Eagles closer to a final place 3-3, 16-20, 46-80, time 63.93

7 Another fine win for Baseby who heads Armstrong home by some distance – Eastbourne looked to be on for the 4-2 but Halder overcame Spiller in good style a lap and a half out to claim third and the 3-3 however with Eastbourne now on 23 of a 31 point target with eight heats left another final match up with the fen tigers now beckons 3-3, 19-23, 49-83 ,time 65.18

8 MacDonald hits tapes – going off 15m. Harris gates to take the win – Edwards and Brooks seemingly safe in second and third but Charlie overcooks it on second bend final lap allowing MacDonald a gift point – Brooks straight up and seemingly okay 4-2, 23-25, 53-85, time 65.67

9 YAB A DAB A DO! Play the music. It’s not a 5-1 but we’re through. Brennan breezes to victory once again leading Phillips throughout – Ruddick produces another tenacious effort to overcome Powell in the latter part for 3-3 – hardly matters for Eagles however with the score standing at 26-28 they are guaranteed their place in the final, time 64.75

COMMENTARY: What a performance from the Forman IT Eagles.

10 Baseby sets it in stone with another win, impressively against the previously unbeaten Mountain (just as he did in the NLRC), Spiller a good third from Harris, 2-4, 28-32 , 58-92, 64.50.

Commentary: The Eagles are in the NL Play Off Final. The first leg against Mildenhall is tomorrow (Sunday) at Arlington Stadium at 7.30pm.

11 Eagles in the ascendency now – Halder a tight squeeze with Jason on first bend but Edwards fires past all three riders on first two bends to lead with joining Georgie at the front for the 5-1 29-37, 59-97, 64.38

12 Four wins out of four for Baseby – comfortable against Philips – Powell holds off Halder for 4-2 Eagles lead 41-31, agg 61-101, time 65.06

13 Good race shaping up between Mountain and Wood – Mountain looks to have better of things – Georgie bike starts playing up allowing Tom through for second – Armstrong also suffering gremlins so 3-3, 34-44, 64-104 63.06

14 Ethan signs off his evening in style win a win, containing both Ruddick and Halder in fine style – Brooks follows them home but by no means disgraced 3-3, 37-47, 67-107, 65.81

15 Mountain r Ruddick b Wood w Baseby y Eagles 1-3. Mountain gains revenge over Baseby but Mark and Georgie block the minor places ahead of Ruddick to wrap it all up with a 3-3 final score 40-50, 70-110, time 63.18 – bring on the Fen Tigers