Bob Brimson fears Eastbourne Eagles' injury crisis could cost them a play-off spot.

As they prepare to face leaders Coventry Bees in a major Arlington test, the rookie Eagles promoter and team boss Trevor Geer are struggling to raise a side.

Eagles have been racking their brains in a bid to replace reserves Cameron Woodward, who has a broken collarbone and damaged ankle, and Stefan Andersson.

They have fingers crossed that Dean Barker and David Norris recover from injury and other team members do not suffer any mishaps.

In less than two months since his debut as an Elite League promoter, Brimson has been through an awful lot but he insists the club got their team building right.

He said: "A fully fit Eastbourne team would be third in the league but the injury element is something I have found hard to take as a promoter.

"You get very involved with the riders. It's hard to see someone like Cameron get injured.

"We are in an injury crisis. I've been getting calls from other promoters saying they have never had anything like this and they have got every sympathy for us.

"Trevor has had a steep learning curve. He could do with a bit of good luck."

Eagles and the BSPA are picking their way through the rulebook to see what they can do about losing both their reserves.

Although Andersson pulled out of Eagles' defeat at Wolves through injury, he would be absent tomorrow anyway because of a World Championship qualifier.

A low to mid ranking second divison rider is no real substitute for Woodward or Andersson.

Brimson said: "We are being clobbered by injuries one day and the rulebook the next. I get treated the same as a manager who is trying to bend the rules for their own advantage. If I need a No. 8 it's the fans. They are worth three or four points."

Brimson has also hit back at critics who accused the Eagles management of a tactical blunder in their 51-42 defeat at Wolves on Monday.

Some fans accused Eagles of missing a trick when, ten points down after 13 races, they decided against tracking a tactical substitute in place of the absent Cameron Woodward in the penultimate race.

Had, for example, Nicki Pedersen been sent in to race off a 15-metre handicap and won, Eagles could have plundered an 8-1 against a weak Wolves duo of Theo Pijper and William Lawson.

A 5-1 in heat 15 would then have seen them nick the verdict by a single point.

Brimson said: "I understand it from a fan's point of view.

"But I've seen all these riders go through the pain barrier for us. They have done everything I've asked of them and my focus was on not losing the bonus point.