Eagles ruin Poole's party (From The Argus)

Eagles ruin Poole's party

11:36pm Wednesday 3rd June 2009 in Eagles news By Brian Owen

Eastbourne manager Trevor Geer saluted his six Eastbourne Eagles heroes as they ruined Poole’s big night.

Eagles picked up their first away league win of the season with a stunning 46-44 success over a Pirates side hoping to launch their push for the play-offs.

Although the scoreline looks close, the visitors had victory sewn up with a race to go.

Poole denied them an extra point by taking a 5-1 in a thrilling heat 15 but that will have offered them no consolation on the night they paraded GP star Hans Andersen as their high profile new No. 1.

Andersen was outshone by another superb performance from Lewis Bridger, who passed himself fit on the day of the meeting after suffering a dead leg in Germany on Monday.

Poole’s various adjustments to bring in the Dane have upset many fans and promoters so Eastbourne’s win was a popular one across the country.

Guest Travis McGowan, in for the injured Lukas Dryml, put an early spanner in the works when he beat Andersen in a shared opening race.

Poole led 34-32 when an interval was called after heat 11 but Eagles came back out to reel off two 4-2s, then a 5-1 for Cameron Woodward and Ricky Kling to kill off home hopes.

Geer said: “We had a chat at the interval and I told them if we could go on and win the meeting it would really upset Poole.

“It’s a good racing track at Poole and we’ve got a team full of racers.

“Lewis was incredible, Travis won heat one and looked good all night, but they all played their part.”

Eastbourne are now unbeaten on their last four visits to Wimborne Road, picking up two wins and two draws.

Poole: Andersen 13+1 (6), Pedersen 13+1 (6), Screen 11 (5), Davidsson 3+2 (5), Wilson 3 (5), Baran 1+1 (3), C.Holder r/r.

Eagles: Bridger 14 (6), McGowan 11+1 (5), Kling 8+3 (5), Watt 8+1 (6), Woodward 5 (5), J.Holder 0 (3), Norris r/r.