Eastbourne Eagles were beaten in a last-heat thriller at Poole last night.

Inspired by new signing Nicki Pedersen, they pushed the Elite League leaders right to the wire before going down 47-43 on the same track where they crashed 60-30 earlier in the season.

In the end, Pedersen's dream debut was punctured by the man he is battling for the world title, Tony Rickardsson.

Rickardsson roared home ahead of Pedersen in the decider to complete a 15-point paid maximum, while Pirates' other big gun, Leigh Adams, kept David Norris out of third place.

That was enough to keep Poole's unbeaten home record since March 26 in tact, but they were given a real scare by the revamped Sussex squad.

Pedersen, who top scored with paid 14 points, and Mark Loram, making his first Eastbourne appearance since breaking an arm against Poole on Good Friday, both beat the normally invincible Adams on his own track.

And it might have been a different story altogether if Eagles had not run out of luck in heat 12 when Joonas Kylmakorpi's bike packed up as he and Dean Barker were set for a 5-1 win.

Eagles led by four points thanks to 4-2 wins by first Kylmakorpi and Glenn Cunningham and then Adam Shields and Barker, but Poole levelled it at 21-21 with a 5-1 by Krzysztof Kasprzak and Rickardsson over Shields and Barker.

The visitors were back in front again straightaway with another 4-2, this time by Norris and Cunningham, and Pedersen won a nailbiter in the next, coming from third place to catch Matej Ferjan late on.

It took Pirates ten heats to get ahead for the first time in the match when Ferjan and Adams posted a 5-1 over Shields and Barker.

Another 5-1 for the home team in heat 13 by Rickardsson and Adams against Pedersen and Loram put Poole in control at 42-36, but it opened the way for Pedersen to come in as a tactical substitute in heat 14.

Shields won it with Pedersen second, both men coming through from the back against Charlie Gjedde and Kasprzak, to give Eagles their only 5-1 of the night and set up a last-heat decider.

And although Rickardsson and Adams had the last word, Eastbourne proved they are up and running, and on this form a play-off spot is not out of their grasp.

Poole: Tony Rickardsson 14, Leigh Adams 9, Charlie Gjedde 9, Matej Ferjan 6, Krzysztof Kasprzak 6, Brent Werner 3. Bonus points: Adams 2, Rickardsson 1, Gjedde 1, Ferjan 1, Kasprzak 1, Werner 1.

Eastbourne: Nicki Pedersen 12, Adam Shields 8, David Norris 7, Mark Loram 5, Dean Barker 4, Glenn Cunnningham 4, Joonas Kylmakorpi 3. Bonus points: Pedersen 2, Loram 2.