Lakeside Hammers 47, Eastbourne Eagles 46
LAKESIDE Hammers face a tough test if they are to make the Elite League play-off final after taking just a one point lead from Monday’s first leg semi-final.
Hammers captain Lee Richardson led from the front with four race wins for the home side, however they surrendered a 10-point lead and face an uphill task if they are to turn the tie around at Arlington Stadium next Monday night.
Eastbourne started slowly but had Simon Gustafsson to thank in heat one as he pipped Peter Ljung on the line to deny Lakeside an early 5-1.
But Jonas Davisson led Stuart Robson home two heats later to put Lakeside in control at 12-6 up.
Wins for Kim Nilsson and another from Davisson meant Lakeside won all of the opening five heats and Richardson's second triumph of the night opened up an early 10-point lead.
But the turning point of the meet came in heat seven when Lewis Bridger rode for double points and he and Cameron Woodward (11+1) combined to give The Eagles a much-needed 7-2.
Gustafsson and Woodward reduced the deficit to only three points in heat eight but Robson, riding on his own after team-mate Davisson crashed out, kept the Hammers in front in the next.
Lakeside suffered a hammer blow in heat 12 when Robson was excluded and captain Woodward won his next two races to edge Eastbourne ahead for the first time with only one heat remaining.
A fourth win for Richardson at least ensured Lakeside won the opening leg, however Hammers manager Neil Vatcher admitted his team have plenty of work to do if they are to come away from Arlington triumphant.
He said: “It certainly hasn't gone to plan, that's for sure. We were looking for a 10-12 point lead tonight because Eastbourne are strong at home.
"But saying that, we went to Eastbourne earlier in the year without two of our heat leaders and took Eastbourne to a last heat decider.
"Eastbourne aren't invincible and we've got to regroup and focus on a big, big night next Monday."
The other semi-final saw King's Lynn claim a narrow 48-45 victory over Poole Pirates.
Chris Harris (14) and Darcy Blake (17+2) starred for Poole, who will be favourites to prevail after the second leg.
Hammers: 1. Lee Richardson - 3, 3, 0, 3, 3 = 12; 2. Peter Ljung - 1, 0, 1, 2, 3 = 7; 3. Stuart Robson - 2',1, 2, 3, X = 8+1; 4. Jonas Davidsson - 3 ,3, R, 3, 2, 1 = 12; 5. Rider Replacement for Piotr Swiderski; 6. Robert Mear - 3, X, 0, 0 = 3; 7. Kim Nilsson - 0, 3, 0, 2, 0 = 5
Eagles: 1. Bjarne Pedersen - 0, 0, 2, 2, 2 = 6; 2. Simon Gustafsson - 2, 2, 3, 1',1 = 9+1; 3. Lewis Bridger - 1, 6^,2, 1, 0 = 10; 4. Rider Replacement
5. Joonas Kylamkorpi - 1',2, 2, 1' = 6+2; 6. Cameron Woodward - 2, 0, 1, 1, 1',3 ,3 = 11+1; 7. Timo Lahti - 1',2, X, 1' = 4+2
Heat-by-heat
Heat 1: Richardson, Gustafsson, Ljung, Pedersen (5-1) 58.5
Heat 2: Mear, Woodward, Lahti, Nilsson (3-3) (7-5) 58.6
Heat 3: Robson, Davidsson, Bridger, Woodward (5-1) (12-6) 59.7
Heat 4: Ljung, Lahti, Kylamkorpi, Ljung (3-3) (15-9) 58.2
Heat 5: Davidsson, Gustafsson, Robson, Pedersen (4-2) (19-11) 58.4
Heat 6: Richardson, Kylamkorpi, Ljung (fell exc) (4-2) (23-13) 58.6
Heat 7: Bridger (tactical ride), Robson, Woodward, Mear (exc) (2-7) (25-20) 59.5
Heat 8: Gustafsson, Ljung, Woodward, Nilsson (2-4) (27-24) 59.0
Heat 9: Robon, Kylamkorpi, Lahti, Davidsson (ret) (3-3) (30-27) 58.8
Heat 10: Ljung, Bridger, Woodward, Richardson (3-3) (33-30) 59.1
Heat 11: Davidsson, Pedersen, Gustafsson, Mear (3-3) (36-33) 59.2
Heat 12: Woodward, Nilsson, Bridger, Robson (fell exc) (2-4) (38-37) 58.7
Heat 13: Richardson, Pedersen, Kylamkorpi, Nilsson (3-3) (41-40) 58.8
Heat 14: Woodward, Davidsson, Gustafsson, Mear (2-4) (43-44) 59.3
Heat 15: Richardson, Pedersen, Davidsson, Bridger (4-2) (47-46) 58.5