Eagles unable to recover from slow start (From The Argus)

Eagles unable to recover from slow start

7:20am Friday 29th May 2009 in Eagles news

Eastbourne boss Trevor Geer admitted his side paid the price for a below-par start at Peterborough.

Geer felt a good opportunity to claim a consolation point went begging despite some gutsy riding from his weakened band of walking wounded.

Davey Watt defied his recent groin and wrist problems to notch 11 points – a haul boosted by a successful tactical ride in the fifth heat – while Lewis Bridger marked his return from shoulder damage by producing the same score.

But the Eagles were never able to fully recover after conceding three 5-1s in the space of the opening four races to fall 12 points adrift.

Geer said: “The final scoreline was respectable considering how poorly we started the meeting, but that really cost us the chance of challenging for a point. The lads deserve credit for the way they clawed the deficit back and Lewis did ever so well considering he still has a big lump on his shoulder.”

Watt launched Eastbourne’s revival with that six-point haul in the fifth race when deployed for double points and Cameron Woodward claimed third.

Woodward then followed home the impressive Bridger for a surprise maximum return over home captain Niels Kristian Iversen in heat seven as Peterborough’s advantage was cut to three points.

Bridger also took the flag in heat 12 as the Eagles moved back to within five points but their challenge ran out of steam when Iverrsen and Kenneth Bjerre had maximums in the final three races.

Peterborough: Iversen 13 (5), Bjerre 12+2 (5), Hansen 8+1 (6), Korneliussen 7+1 (4), Ales Dryml 7+1 (4), Bager 3+2 (3), Vissing 3 (4).

Eastbourne: Watt 11 (5), Bridger 11 (6), Woodward 6+2 (5), Kling 6+2 (6), Lukas Dryml 5+1 (5), Complin 1+1 (3).