Mark Loram today prepared to be Eastbourne Eagles' trump card in the Craven Shield and said: "This feels like home from home for me".

The former Eagles rider is back in his old colours for the triangular semi-final against Belle Vue and Oxford to be raced over the next week.

Loram is a confirmed rider in the sixman Eastbourne team for the first leg at Arlington tomorrow (7.30pm) and the second match at Belle Vue on Wednesday.

He is also likely to feature in the third leg at Oxford on Thursday.

The overall winners go into a three team final and the runners-up progress too depending on comparitive scores with the second-placed in team in the other semi-final, which involves Coventry, Peterborough and Poole.

Eastbourne will know their points target when the other semi is completed at Coventry tonight, though the Bees look favourites to go through.

After two legs, Peterborough have 73 points, Poole 72 and Coventry 70.

Rider-replacement is not operated in the Craven Shield but guests are allowed so Loram will cover for David Norris, whose season appears to be over.

With his Arena-Essex club out of the competition, Loram could ride for Eastbourne throughout their Shield campaign He said: "I always look forward to riding for Eastbourne. It's home from home for me.

"I go back a long way with the Dugard family, Jon Cook and Deano (Barker).

"I'm down to do a couple of meetings for them but I don't know any more than that for now.

"I haven't spoken to Jon Cook. My mechanic does all that and I just get told where I've got to go.

"But I've had a few meetings at Eastbourne this year and it's a track I enjoy."

Loram's home-straight charge which won him heat 15 in the recent South Coast Trophy win over Poole was rated the pass of the season by Cook.

The Eagles promoter is hoping for more of the same tomorrow and believes the disappointment of losing the Knockout Cup final will spur his men on.

He said: "We saw the celebrations at Belle Vue on Monday and that has made us even more determined to win something.

"Apart from Coventry and Belle Vue, there isn't a group of fans in the league who have the excitement ours have had this year.

"There are three trophies available for us at the start of a season and this is one of them.

"I'm not going to pretend the Craven Shield is as important as the league or the cup but it's there to be won, like the League Cup in football.

"On results and performances, we are the third-best team in the country and we are aiming to finish the year with some silverware."

If Eagles get through, they will stage the third and deciding leg of the final, which could make for a dramatic end to the Arlington season.

Loram is usually brought in by Eagles as guest replacement for Nicki Pedersen so the prospect of them lining up together is an exciting one.

Belle Vue have opted against replacing injured Kenneth Bjerre and are showing loyalty to the six men who won them the Cup.

Oxford, one of the most improved teams in the league, are without Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock tomorrow as they compete in the States.

Lee Richardson, of Swindon, and David Howe, of Wolves, come in as guests.

Craven Shield meetings comprise 18 races with each team fielding three pairs of riders, who get four heats apiece.

Eagles will have six races against Belle Vue and six against Oxford with the remaining six being between the two visiting clubs.

Heat 18 is a tussle between Pedersen and Andrew Moore for the hosts and Nils-Kristian Iversen and Freddie Eriksson for Oxford.

But Eagles will hope to be a few points clear of both their opponents by then.