Eastbourne 56 Kent 31

TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE

EASTBOURNE 56: Georgie Wood 15, Mark Baseby 10+1, Tom Brennan 10, Jason Edwards 8+2, Charley Powell 7+1, Charlie Brooks 5+2, Ethan Spiller 1+1.

KENT 31: Ellis Perks 8, Anders Rowe 6+1, Jack Thomas 6+1, Nathan Stoneman 6, William O’Keefe 3, Jamie Couzins (no.8) 2+1, Alex Spooner 0, Taylor Hampshire r/r.

Eaatbourne forged ahead from the off and soon had a firm grip on this match.

The three league points helps cement their place in the top four with the end-of-season Play Offs fast approaching.

The only real setback was when Kent took a 3-0 in heat two. Only one rider finished with both the Eastbourne riders excluded.

Georgie Wood battled to a maximum with great support from Tom Brennan and captain Mark Baseby.

Jason Edwards was agin a big points scorer, along with Charley Powell.

Charlie Brooks put in a most encouraging show and would have had more but for his big off in heat two.

Ethan Spiller found it harder going, as Connor Dugard, team manager, explained.

The Forman IT Eagles team manager, said: “We put some new shale down which caught a few of our boys out.

“I think Ethan’s crash in his first one messed with his head a little bit.

Georgie Wood, who crashed last Saturday and was taken from the track in an ambulance, said: “

It’s a lot different ending to last week. I’m going home in my own van tonight!

“From an outsider’s point of view people will say ‘Georgie Wood was himself’ but I definitely didn’t feel myself.

“I was quite stiff and sore and I was really nervous beforehand but you’ve got to get it there, give it 110%.”

The Eagles move on tomorrow to ride at Mildenhall.

The Suffolk side are running away at the top of the league table but Dugard said the key thing at this stage was to get into the Play Offs “when all bets are off”.

He added: “We all start level then.

“We go to Mildenhall in great spirits are two successive big wins in three nights. Our confidence is high and we always travel determined to get league points.”

Here’s how Kevin Ling saw tonight’s match unfold 

1. First race 5-1 .Georgie by the proverbial from Jason Edwards with Anders Rowe a distant third with Kent guest Ellis Perks looking as if he’d never seen the place before.

2 Ethan Spiller excluded – out the gate first but spun round on first bend – up and okay but short delay as Alex Spooner was looked over by paramedics – Charlie Brooks then rounded both William O’Keefe and Spooner out of bend two. Whether there might have been a coming together, I’m not sure but Spooner ground to a halt down back straight having shed a chain – then there were two but only briefly as Brooks took route one into air fence on fourth turn of lap two – thankfully okay but race awarded to O’Keefe the only rider left standing 0-3, 5-4, no time

3 gGood gate from CharleyPowell –  Nathan Stoneman buzzing around his back wheel  with Mark Baseby close at hand but Stoneman got hopelessly out of shape on turn three and fell – Ref would thank him for clearing the track but Jamie Couzins (taking the r/r) was powerless to prevent another eagles 5-1, 10-5 time 61.7

4 Good gate from brooks to out trap JackThomas – Tom Brennan sped through on inside to leave them standing. Brooks clung on to second place in dogged fashion, in spite of a wall of death excursion towards the air fence on the final turn of lap three 5-1, 15-6, time 59.0

5 More like the perks of old as he jousted with Baseby out of the start – the Eagles skipper eased clear down the back straight to win comfortably but with Powell seeing off Rowe the 4-2 saw Eagles two more points to the good 19-8 time 59.0

6 Another blistering ride from Georgie and a further quality effort from Jason saw Thomas pegged back in third – another 5-1 to Eagles saw the score move to 24-9

7 Brennan records another flying victory but Spiller struggling to get to grips with the tight Arlington circuit – he lifted down back straight and then went wide on final turn two laps later leaving Kings to snatch a share of the spoils 3-3 ,27-12 time 59.4

8 Sharp from the start and another polished ride from Edwards sees him take the win and an equally impressive effort from Brooks saw him fend off Rowe, all this resulting in a further 5-1 for the Sussex side (their fifth) prog score 32-13 time 60.1

9 A rerun heat nine realises a win for Thomas – Baseby nearly drops it on second lap but recovers to take second place – Powell comfortable in third ahead of O’keeffe 3-3 35-16 time 59.7

10 Stoneman gets the drop down the back straight on the fast starting Edwards – Wood noses past Jason to given chase to the Kent rider – momentarily it appeared he might have met his match but a stunning cut back out of the final turn of lap three carried Wood through on Stoneman’s inside to secure a third brilliant win 4-2, 39-18, time 59.9

11 Brennan storms from the back to pass Perks and Brooks continues his fine night with a third place ahead of O’Keefe, 4-2, 43-20

12 Stoneman hit the front again, racing past Baseby’s outside down the back straight – the Eagle swiftly returned the favour, however, riding around his outside on bends 3 and four of the second circuit to take the win. Brooks was never far from the action and he knew too much for O’Keeffe resulting in a further eagles 4-2 , one that finally took them past the post with the score now 46-23 time 59.7

13 Perks again looked on for the win he no doubt craved, leading Wood in the early part while Thomas also held the whip hand on Brennan – the latter quickly reaffirmed control over Thomas while Wood found his way past perks – an Eastbourne 4-2 appeared in prospect as the riders entered the final lap. Perks locked up on turn two and seemed to impede Brennan but just as Tom looked set to ride past both Kings he drops it heading into the third turn – soon up and okay leaving the result a 3-3 49-26 time 59.3

14  Flying win for Rowe in penultimate race, Powell second with Spiller (no lack of effort all night) chalking up his first point – 3-3 score now 52-29 time 60.6

15 Wood wins to complete a glorious maximum – great race with Perks and Brennan – Perks had it then Tom but Perks got him back on the final lap with Stoneman bringing up the rear. Final score 56-31