New-look Eastbourne Eagles can look forward to their first semi-final.

They secured a last four berth in the Championship Shield tonight with an impressive 53-37 win at Birmingham.

Eagles shot out into a 29-13 lead after seven heats, helped by three 5-1s.

They rode a brief Brummies rally in mid-meeting and had the win tied up when Richard Lawson and Edward Kennett tucked in for a 3-3 in heat 13 to preserve a ten-point lead.

They then finished it off in style with the impressive Lewi Kerr involved in a pair of heat advantages.

He was supported in heat 14 by Tom Brennan, who claimed the impressive scalp of Ashley Morris in the battle for third place.

Kerr and Kennett teamed up for a 5-1 in heat 15.

Eagles go to Leicester in the Championship on Saturday and stage the return meeting at Arlington on Sunday (3.30pm).

Brummies: Ostergaard 10 (5), Shanes 8+1 (5,) Wajtknecht 7 (5), Morris 4+1 (4), Newman 4 (5), Thomsen 2+1 (3), Castagna 2 (3).

Eagles: Kennett 13+1 (5), Kerr 12+1 (5), Lawson 9+1 (4), Brennan 9 (5), Morley 5+1 (4), Bowtell 4+2 (4), Wood 1(3).