sussex bulldog Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) Nerves will be jangling at Arlington Stadium on Saturday (September 7) night as the Eastbourne IT First Eagles battle to reach the final of speedway’s National League Play Offs.The shoot-out against Kent begins with the home side two points down after the first leg of the semi-final on Monday at Central Park, Sittingbourne.The winners will go on to meet either Lakeside or Belle Vue Colts to decide which club becomes league champions.A big crowd is expected to watch the match which is truly in the balance.The Eagles have given themselves a great chance by losing the first leg by only two points but are only too well aware that Kent pummelled them 49-40 on their home track in mid September.They are doubly cautious because top rider Jake Knight has been banned from the match after missing the National League Riders’ Championship because he had no bike to use.It means the club will be forced to cover his programmed rides by using the rider replacement rule. All members of the team are eligible to take a ride, including new No 1 Josh Bailey.Eastbourne team manager, Connor Dugard, believes his team will rise to the occasion, just as they did at Kent on Monday.“The boys did a great job there,” he said.“The tie is at the halfway stage. We are ready and and are looking for a big crowd to get behind the boys and cheer us to victory.“We need that Arlington wall of sound.”Eastbourne: Josh Bailey, Charley Powell, Jake Knight R/R, Tom Brennan, Georgie Wood, Drew Kemp, Mattie Bates, Jason Edwards (No 8).Kent: Luke Bowen, Dan Greenwood, Ben Hopwood, George Hunter, Jack Thomas, Bradley Andrews, Anders Rowe.The action begins at 7.30pm.*The Eagles final match of the regular league season at Cradley has been scheduled for October 16. Edited October 5, 2017 by David J Cox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Let's hope the weather behaves itself. Yet another Saturday with rain in the forecast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moleman27 Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Has everyone seen, no Mattie Bates but Jason at no8. Seems another loophole found by Connor which expect will mean Jason taking all of Mattie's rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesno1 Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) Has everyone seen, no Mattie Bates but Jason at no8. Seems another loophole found by Connor which expect will mean Jason taking all of Mattie's rides.I think Mattie's name not being there is just a misprint because number 8's can't take reserve switches only rider replacemant rides. Edited October 5, 2017 by eaglesno1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussex bulldog Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Well spotted. Mattie does indeed ride at number 7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solrac Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Let's hope the weather behaves itself. Yet another Saturday with rain in the forecast! Both BBC and Met Office say rain during day but ok from about 6pm onwards, so should be all systems go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 I would normally feel pretty calm about this but after Kent turned us over last time, I am a bit twitchy. However, lightning rarely strikes twice and I think we will win by around 8 or so. Partly depends on if the track can be prepared the way we like it or if the rain prepares it for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben91 Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 The rentaguest Eagles should have no trouble progressing sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solrac Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 The rentaguest Eagles should have no trouble progressing sadly. One guest in main team and hopefully you're correct with your predictions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurnTwo Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Up the mighty eagles!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee jay Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 sudden change in weather forecast , 2 hrs ago said showers from 9 am till 5 pm , now it says only showers around 7am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 The rentaguest Eagles should have no trouble progressing sadly. Always good to get the excuses out early I spose One guest in main team and hopefully you're correct with your predictions. We don't have any guests in the main team do we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee jay Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 i think solrac was saying only one in the team and one named as no8 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Well he said main team which I always take as 1 -5 but yeh, I think you are probably right. Either way, I hardly think you could say we are where we are due to guest selections, even if the Charlie Saunders thing does confused us all! Especially as he did ad good a job as any have when he did ride for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben91 Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Always good to get the excuses out early I spose We don't have any guests in the main team do we? I'm a Rye House fan, I don't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solrac Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Always good to get the excuses out early I spose We don't have any guests in the main team do we? Sorry, meant 1-7 as opposed to main body of the team. If we do make it through then it'll almost certainly be Belle Vue, Lakeside are getting a right kicking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunters Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 If Eastbourne win tonight they will simply be making numbers up in both finals. I cannot see them getting less than a 24 point deficit at the NSS and no chance of making that up against the full strength Colts. Bewlay and Smith have rarely ridden away in the NL this season but you can bet they will in the finals. Kent have the best chance of giving them some sort of challenge having held them including their top two to 16 points earlier in the season. This is no doubt down to Central Park being a lot more like the NSS than Arlington is. On the negative side the Colts will be more at home at CP. Tonight will be all about local bragging rights and who will be runners up. The finals will be very damp squibs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurnTwo Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Nothing like a Nice glass of optimism to start the day 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Fan Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 As I have not yet had the chance to see exactly what went on at Belle Vue, I don't know why the Hammers got beaten so heavily. I would have expected better, so I suspect there were problems. Whoever makes the Final will have the hardest battle of the season, but both Eastbourne and Kent are not out of it. When either side present their full 7, they are a force to be reckoned with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander15 Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 As I have not yet had the chance to see exactly what went on at Belle Vue, I don't know why the Hammers got beaten so heavily. I would have expected better, so I suspect there were problems. Whoever makes the Final will have the hardest battle of the season, but both Eastbourne and Kent are not out of it. When either side present their full 7, they are a force to be reckoned with. You mean have a useful reserve like Hunter, Rowe, Kemp or Edwards haha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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