Post by admin on Oct 24, 2010 7:52:55 GMT
KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL – 1st LEG : SUNDAY 24th OCTOBER 2010
No doubt about it, the Eastbourne ‘Lifestyle’Eagles face a date with destiny at Arlington stadium this coming Sunday afternoon (5 o clock start – gates open at 3.30 p.m.) as they host the first leg of the 2010 Knockout Cup Final against fellow South Coast dwellers, long time rivals and the team who so nearly swept all before as they just failed to capture the Elite League title at the final Play Off hurdle after heading the table by a massive 20-points over the course of the regular season, the powerhouse Poole Pirates.
Indeed, for the second time in the space of three seasons, these two famous speedway sides meet to do battle for this prestigious award and the right to be proclaimed Knockout cup Champions and of course those of the Sussex persuasion will be hoping that history provides a repeat of itself, the previous occasion back in 2008 bearing witness to a brace of dominant Eastbourne performances, ones that ultimately realised a commanding 22-point aggregate victory against the Pirates over the course of the two legs.
Certainly that would prove to be just what the doctor ordered down Arlington way should that re-occur those it remains a racing certainty that the Dorset outfit will be all out to prevent that happening and ensure that the Eagles do not become three time Final victors over them, the Sussex men having previously also won the Cup against Poole back in the 1997 season.
For those who believe in fate and omens there is plenty of substance and statistics to feed upon, the Eagles route to the Final this time around being a virtual mirror image of that enjoyed in 2008, the respective challenges of the Lakeside Hammers and the Wolverhampton Wolves being dispatched at the quarter and the semi final stage whilst Poole were also conquerors of the Peterborough Panthers as the competition reached the last four.
The important difference this time around however is that in 2008, the Pirates were still very much on a high having dealt out a crushing defeat to Lakeside in the Play off Final to claim the mantle of Elite League Champions. With the form book and pretty much universal opinion predicting comfortable victory in the Knockout Cup coming down in their favour, whether over confidence played a part it may never be known but the Eagles certainly caught them on the hop handing out a 57-35 defeat in the first leg at Arlington and then supplementing that success with a 45-45 draw in rain soaked conditions in the return at Wimborne Road.
The final throes of season 2010 throws up a wholly different scenario and undoubtedly with the double determination of the Pirates not to take their eye off the ball a second time and miss out again on another important piece of silverware. Having topped the Elite League table by a massive 20-points from nearest rivals, the second placed Wolves of Wolverhampton and a full 26-points ahead of eventual Play Off Final opponents and virtual last minute qualifiers, the Coventry Bees, the form guides, the pundits, pretty much to a man and in many ways a sense of justice dictated that the Pirates should comfortably see off the challenge of the pretenders from Brandon and capture what would have proved their second title in three seasons and their fourth of the decade.
Well the history books will forever testify that all the factors that favoured them ultimately deserted them when it mattered most, the Bees continuing a meteoric upsurge in form to carve out a 12-point first leg victory at Brandon and with popular opinion even then dictating that the Pirates would swiftly brush that deficit aside, almost unbelievably Coventry had the audacity to also win the second leg in Dorset, a 10-point drubbing that most certainly left the Pirates red faced.
Poole team manager Neil Middleditch spoke of his charges being akin to a wounded animal poised and ready to strike ahead of that now infamous second leg. However, having now suffered the acute disappointment of seeing the title that many felt was their’s by right snatched away in such a fashion you can be sure that that animal is not only further wounded but also very angry and determined to bite back.
Indeed, they should not be left wanting, the Pirates naming the full strength seven that has served them so valiantly throughout the season while the Eagles have injury problems to contend with. Pole Tomasz Jedrzejak appears likely to be a non starter for either leg, the club set to operate the Rider Replacement facility while Lukas Dryml is also a casualty, Eagles asset Lewis Bridger once more deputising in place of the popular Czech Republican on Sunday.
The Eagles will surely face the tie with a degree of confidence however and rightly so. Their form of late has been nothing short of radioactive, the 46-44 victory at Monmore Green, putting to an end Wolverhampton’s proud unbeaten home of two years standing, that gained them entry to the Cup Final being the most recent evidence of that.
In addition, two healthy home victories over the Pirates will add further to their optimism however they know that they will have to pull something very special out of the bag down at Wimborne Road if they are to stand any chance of capturing a third Knockout Cup Final success over their South Coast rivals. All in all a tantalising thirty heats of speedway is in prospect as the Eagles strive to make in a successful conclusion to the 2010 campaign, Arlington kicking off the showpiece event on Sunday with the return set for Dorset next Wednesday night at 7.30 p.m.
Supporters are reminded that not only do season tickets remain valid for this fixture but also that the club’s ‘Kids for a Quid’ offer, in collaboration with the Argus Newspaper will still be in operation for this most prestigious event..
On this occasion, the Saturday edition of the Argus, one containing not only the special voucher which will entitle children less than 12 years of age, when accompanied by an adult to be admitted to the stadium for the price of just a pound but also an extended preview of the Knockout Cup Final will be available to buy outside the turnstiles on the afternoon of the match enabling all in attendance to take advantage of the offer.
Eagles : 1.Matej Zagar, 2. (Rider Replacement for) Tomasz Jedrzejak, 3. Simon Gustafsson, 4. Cameron Woodward (Captain), 5. Joonas Kylmakorpi, 6. Lewis Bridger (Guest for Lukas Dryml), 7. Ricky Kling.
Pirates : 1. Chris Holder 2. Darcy Ward, 3. Bjarne Pedersen, 4. Artur Mroczka, 5. Davey Watt (Captain), 6. Leon Madsen, 7. Jason Doyle.
