Riders demonstrate their worth in victory over Stars

Eastbourne ‘Lifestyle’ Eagles maintained their winning ways around their home circuit with a confident and convincing 53-39 victory over Norfolk outfit, the King’s Lynn Stars, at Arlington stadium on Monday night.
Simon Gustafsson sets the pace at Arlington on Monday nightSimon Gustafsson sets the pace at Arlington on Monday night
Simon Gustafsson sets the pace at Arlington on Monday night

Just as he had against Lakeside nine days earlier, it was a starring performance from the rejuvenated Simon Gustafsson that led the charge for an Eagles side that once again coped well utilising the Rider Replacement facility for Lukas Dryml, who has yet to recover from an unforgiving collarbone injury.

While the Swede drew the main plaudits, there was quality to be found throughout the Eagles number, as every member demonstrated their worth with a pair of wins or paid wins apiece.

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Niels-Kristian Iversen provided sterling resistance for the visitors, the Danish Grand Prix exponent suffering a single defeat by an opponent - Bjarne Pedersen in heat thirteen - in five outings. His paid 17-points included a 6-point win as a tactical ride in race eleven.

Iversen apart, Rory Schlein and Mads Korneliussen also gave the home riders some moments to think about. The former contested arguably the race of the season so far against Cameron Woodward and Timo Lahti in heat three, while the latter shared in an 8-1 victory with Iversen in the eleventh.

Though the pair contributed a race win apiece, alongside Iversen’s four, it wouldn’t prove sufficient to prevent Eastbourne picking up all three Elite League points, the hosts going about their business in a determined fashion.

A pair of 5-1’s in heats two and four, one either side of a third race 4-2, propelled the Eagles into an early nine-point lead, back to back points extending the advantage to 17-points (38-21) heading into the interval.

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That 8-1 to the Stars cut short the home lead but it was to prove too little too late so far as the visitors were concerned, successive 3-3’s preceded a match clinching maximum for the Sussex side in the penultimate race.

Eastbourne remain eighth in the Elite League standings - 10 points adrift of the play-offs.

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