An amazing second-half recovery saw Eastbourne Eagles almost pull off a shock victory at Ipswich in the Elite League last night.

Eleven points down and having already used top scorer David Norris as a tactical rider, the visitors looked dead and buried at the interval.

But they then shook highly placed Ipswich with a succession of fine races that left the Eagles one point ahead going into the last race.

By this time Eastbourne, 50-40 victors at Arlington on Monday, had already sewn up the bonus point.

It all depended on Norris and Adam Shields in heat 15 for Eastbourne. They were up against Hans Andersen and 2000 world champion Mark Loram.

After one false start when Shields was judged to have moved at the tapes, the Ipswich pair came out of the second bend in a 5-1 position.

Norris was in no mood to surrender and he was at Loram's back wheel for the rest of the race.

Loram did magnificently to hold off the Eastbourne captain until the final turn when Norris got past, but it was too late to trouble Andersen in front.

The 4-2 gave Ipswich a 47-46 victory at the end of a pulsating meeting where visiting reserve Peter Ljung came to life with two victories in his last four rides after starting with a couple of blanks.

Eastbourne used Gary Havelock as a guest for world champion Nicki Pedersen, who has a hand injury.

Ipswich were eight points ahead after two races and 12 points in the lead with six heats gone.

The meeting looked over even after Norris doubled his score as a tactical rider when he won heat seven.

A 5-1 to Ipswich in heat eight appeared to give the home side a basis for a comfortable win.

However, Eastbourne wouldn't surrender and four heat advantages including a 5-1 in the 14th saw them go so close to victory.

Loram is guesting for Pedersen in Eastbourne's next two matches, and Eagles' fans will be hoping he shows the same form he displayed on Ipswich's behalf last night.

Ipswich: Hans Andersen 12, Mark Loram 11, Jesper Jensen 7, Danny Bird 6, Kim Jansson 6, Chris Louis 3, Daniel King 2. Bonus points: Louis 2, Bird 1, Jansson 1, King 1.

Eastbourne: David Norris 16, Adam Shields 8, Peter Ljung 8, Gary Havelock 7, Joonas Kylmakorpi 4, Brent Werner 2, Ulrich Ostergaard 1. Bonus points: Havelock 2, Kylmakorpi 2.