Peter Ljung is set to quit Eastbourne Eagles for Elite League rivals Swindon despite flying to a personal high at Arlington Stadium on Saturday night.

The 21-year-old Swedish World Cup winner scored a paid 11 points as the Sussex team gained revenge for their only defeat in six matches with a comprehensive 53-40 victory over Arena Essex.

It was his best return in two seasons with Eagles, but afterwards he said: "I will probably go to Swindon."

Ljung, who won three races at Swindon 11 days ago, has agreed to stay with Eastbourne until the end of the month.

But he said: "Things have not been going well for me. It has affected my confidence. I want to score eight or nine points in every meeting."

Eastbourne boss Jon Cook, who revealed he has been involved in a long-running battle to keep the rider at Arlington, said: "I don't want to talk about Peter Ljung. He's got to make his own way in life, and we've got to go on and win the league.

"His heart is here, but he seems to have a problem with the track which I think is not as big a problem as he is making out."

Having just captured promising Danish youngster Steen Jensen, who made his debut against Arena, and snapped up another highly-rated teenager, Pawel Hlib, from Poland, Cook is keen to keep Ljung on board.

"We can win the league, I'm sure of that, but having taken one or two steps forward I don't want to take another one backwards."

Eagles certainly looked favourites against Arena for a play-off spot and a place in the ultimate title shoot-out.

They won 12 of the 15 races, the only man to stop them in their tracks being former Arlington star Mark Loram, whose 16 points included a six for a tactical ride.

Nicki Pedersen, who came from third to first to beat Loram first time out, and David Norris both won three, but the star was Adam Shields, whose four wins included a superb ride to hold off Loram in heat 15.

Eastbourne were in control from the moment Norris and Shields linked up for a 5-1 in heat three and then repeated the act two races later to put Eagles 19-11 ahead.

Arena missed the chance to slash the arrears with a 7-2 when Loram beat Pedersen and Josh Larsen went past Jensen in heat six.

The visitors surprisingly delayed playing any of their "joker" cards until two races from the end, wasting more than one chance of picking up double points for second-place finishes which would have put them in contention.

When Loram did take his revenge on Pedersen, it only produced a 6-3, by which time Eagles were ten points clear and had effectively flown.

Shields and Ljung pounced for a 5-1 over Dean Barker and Larsen in the next race which not only wrapped up victory but also clinched the bonus point.

Barker made a disappointing return to his old stamping ground, only taking points off Eastbourne also-rans Jensen and Ulrich Ostergaard all evening.

Jensen did show plenty of promise, leading Larsen until he lost a chain on the last lap and finally getting off the mark at the fourth attempt when he headed the experienced Leigh Lanham.

Loram, who zipped to the quickest time of the night in 56.3sec. when he defeated Norris in heat nine, was the only rider to lower the colours of Norris, Pedersen and Shields.