Eastbourne Eagles have been reassured Davey Watt's breakthrough league season at Arlington is not over yet.

But the Australian World Cup prospect could be out of their Knockout Cup semi-final with Arena Essex after suffering chest injuries in a 14th-heat smash which marred Eagles' 57-35 romp at home to Oxford Silver Machine in Saturday's skybet Elite League B clash.

Watt was sent hurtling into the air fence by Niels-Kristian Iversen, who was looking to get the inside the home rider on the fourth bend.

But fears Watt's season was over were allayed by a check-up yesterday. He is battered and bruised and may have suffered shoulder ligament damage but there are no broken bones.

Watt was released from hospital yesterday morning and is replaced by Joonas Kylmakorpi at Wolverhampton and Swindon this week.

Kylmakorpi is also on standby for the home and away cup ties with Arena Essex.

Watt's injury offered a sad end to a curious meeting, which saw Eagles pick up points all the way down the card against an unimpressive Oxford team who were down to three fit riders by the end.

Boss Jon Cook said: "There was a big impact on Davey's chest.

"He's taking a couple of days rest to let his body recover and then he will have a consultation.

"The injury was a blow to say the least on a night when there were so many things to be positive about. You can only beat what's in front of you and we set about that very well. But the injury puts a hell of dark could over the meeting."

Cook absolved Iversen of any malicious intent.

Heat 14 was already a three-man affair after Oxford's young Czech livewire Lubos Tomicek and Watt hit the shale on the first bend.

Referee Robbie Perks ordered a four-man re-run for a faulty start but Tomicek was still feeling groggy and pulled out.

When Iversen limped away from the subsequent crash and was excluded for felling Watts, Eastbourne were given a 5-0, with Richard Hall receiving his first points as an Eagle.

It was just another episode in what was a one-sided meeting once Eagles had overcome an early two-point deficit.

Oxford won two of the first three heats but did not score another success until race 15 when Greg Hancock spoiled what looked like being a paid maximum for Nicki Pedersen.

Dean Barker played a captain's role for Eagles. He anchored the team by riding four of the first nine heats and totting up a paid ten points in that time.

That tally included a great win in heat five, as he held off an attempt by Grand Prix star Hancock to get past on the outside and, with help from Watt, scored the 4-2 which levelled the scores.

Adam Shields, back on form, then had the first of his three heat wins, combining for a 5-1 with Watt over Tomicek and struggling Billy Hamill to put Eagles ahead for good at 20-16.

Shields added a maximum with Pedersen in heat ten, in which Iversen rode for double points but failied to score.

Oxford sent out another joker in the next race in Hancock but again they were up against Pedersen, who held off a tremendous challenge from the American to win comfortably.

Andrew Moore's great evening included success in heat 12 as Barker took charge of the contest before ushering his junior partner through.

Then Pedersen flew past quick-starting Hancock on the back straight first time around to win one of the races of the night.

By that stage, Oxford had lost Henrik Gustafsson, who damaged a shoulder in heat two, and Hamill, who felt the after-effects of a recent crash.

When Tomicek and Iversen bit the dust in the 14th, it capped a sorry Oxford night.

Eagles: Pedersen 16+1 (6), Barker 11+2 (5), Shields 11+1 (6), Watt 9+1 (5), Moore 8+1 (4), Hall 2+1 (4).

Oxford: Hancock 14 (5), McGowan 7 (6), Tomicek 5+1 (7), Iversen 4+1 (4), Kroner 2+1 (4), Hamill 2 (2), Gustafsson 1+1 (1).