Bjarne Pedersen has urged Eastbourne to pile up points at home – and prove they are good enough to win away.

Eagles host Elite League new boys Leicester Lions tomorrow (7.30pm) aiming to build on their opening day 62-30 thrashing of Birmingham.

The acid test comes on Wednesday when Eagles start their away programme at champions Poole.

A vast improvement on last term’s meagre two points away from Arlington is essential if they are to make the play-offs.

But Pedersen, above, insists they cannot hope to do that if they are not good enough to win big at home on a regular basis.

The Danish star said: “I just hope everybody is fired up so we can get some of these away wins.

“You could see we were struggling to win at home last year. There were so many meetings decided in heats 14 and 15.

“If you are only just winning your home meetings I can’t see how you can hope to be good enough to win away.

“We need to have good solid home wins.

“After three or four months of last season there had been quite a few times when we were really under pressure in heats 14 and, especially, heat 15. It’s exciting but you need to be winning better than that at home in my eyes.”

Pedersen beat world champion Tai Woffinden in the very first race of the British season, heat one of the Ben Fund meeting last month.

He dropped just a point against Brummies last week and says he is in good shape for his third season on loan at Arlington.

The Poole asset said: “I’m really satisfied with how everything works at Eastbourne. You always feel welcome when you turn up.

“I had a good pre-season. My scores weren’t quite where I wanted them. But my gating was good. I was a little bit under-power in some meetings, a little bit strong in others but, once we get everything tuned in, we will be looking good.

“But it’s not only one or two riders that can win meetings over the whole season.

“If all the top five can really get into it and help the reserves I think we are looking quite strong.

“Right now it is still early season but the goal must be to look for a play-off place.”

Leicester put up a decent showing before losing 52-42 at Lakeside last night.

Jason Doyle top-scored with 10 (5) including a heat-15 win