Eastbourne Eagles 46, Poole Pirates 43.

Trevor Geer has revealed why he gave Davey Watt the chance to be an opening-night hero.

The Eastbourne Eagles boss sent out Watt with skipper Nicki Pedersen to defend a one-point lead in heat 15 of Saturday's challenge meeting.

His bold move paid off as both Eagles finished ahead of previously unbeaten Jason Crump to claim a match-clinching 4-2 heat advantage.

It looked a close call as to whether Geer would nominate Watt or David Norris for the decider.

But the Eagles team manager got his first big decision of the campaign spot-on.

Geer said: "Davey Watt was the best rider apart from Nicki. He deserved to be out there and he came up trumps.

"It was between him and David Norris but I think Davey was getting out of the gate and that made all the difference."

So a hard fought South Coast battle got the amazing finale most of a crowd of about 1,600 wanted.

There was a buzz about Arlington from well before tapes up.

But, for much of the evening, the start of the new era under promoter Bob Brimson seemed more a case of "just like last season."

l Eagles forged a commanding lead, then saw it wither to almost nothing.

l They secured victory right at the death.

l They sent their fans home exhilirated but knowing their team had probably not done enough to see them through the away leg.

l Crump looked what he is, the world champion.

Neither the scoreline nor the overall performance will have convinced the Eagles faithful their team can hit their play-off target this summer.

But it is early days yet.

Worst Eagles suffered the worst possible start, losing Norris in heat one and Dean Barker in the re-run to hand Crump and Edward Kennett a 5-0.

Cameron Woodward flew around and Lewis Bridger followed for a 5-1 in the next race.

Eagles outscored their visitors 34-20 from heats two to ten but saw a nine-point lead reduced to just one over the next four races, setting up the finale.

In the end, two sights we did not see last year helped them out.

There was Crump's totally unexpected last place in heat 15.

And then there was a change to the much-derided nominated rider rule.

Poole started their comeback with a 5-1 as Crump expertly let Kennett go ahead while he tussled with Watt before coming through to take the flag.

Last year Poole, who trailed by nine, would have been able to send Crump out for double points at that stage, which would have given them an 8-1.

As for Nicki Pedersen, he was good but not yet at his best.

He had second places behind Crump and Bjarne Pedersen, who he also beat in a thrilling finish to heat three.

But the Eagles captain will have loved the way he hurtled past his namesake to dominate heat 15.

He insisted that, though it did not feel like a friendly, Saturday's match was still part of the tuning-up process ahead of the Elite League season.

Pedersen said: "I practised three times last week but practice is practice and meetings are meetings.

"We boys have been like lions in a box wanting to get out and ride our bikes.

"It was a good feeling. I tried a few things and I felt good in the end."