David Norris today called on Eastbourne Eagles to keep putting the critics firmly in their place.

Eagles go to Belle Vue tonight buzzing from a first Elite League win of the season after thumping revamped Reading 55-38.

The league-leading Bulldogs pulled off some clever moves to replace a trio of absent riders, at least one of whom is no lover of Arlington.

But super displays down the card, topped by Nicki Pedersen's five-win full maximum, helped Eagles overcome the early loss of Davey Watt with a broken wrist.

Norris, who looked to be near his best again, reckoned the cynics had been gathering after Eagles lost their first two league matches.

But he said: "We dug deep and kept it together. This is the sort of thing we can do. We want to get a few of the knockers off our backs.

"We know it's not going to be all roses for the rest of the season. We know it's going to be tough but this is what our team can do.

"We now go to Belle Vue knowing they are having their own problems. We are a unit, we've now got confidence and we will be going there for the win."

Pedersen was again immense and the only rider to beat Adam Shields, the former Eagle drafted in as guest replacement for Greg Hancock.

But the six fit Eagles all dug in after the twin shock of losing Watt and seeing a 16-8 lead reduced to 22-20.

Lewis Bridger produced a terrific ride around the outside and Stefan Andersson came through for second in a heat-eight 5-1 which restored a six-point cushion.

Eagles' reserves shared Watt's rides and were paid for a combined 21 points, including Cameron Woodward's best night yet in the Elite League.

Arguably the race of the night was one which did not eventually count, though it got the crowd up in arms. Bridger was excluded after Shields, going for double points, went hurtling into the air fence in a tussle for the wide line on bend three.

Shields took the re-run to give Reading a heat-eleven 7-2.

But Eagles kept producing great rides and gate-to-flag 5-1s for Dean Barker and Woodward, then Pedersen and the firing Norris in the last two races topped up their winning margin.