Play off derby for Hammers & The Eagles

The Lakeside Hammers entertain local arch rivals the Eastbourne Eagles this Friday, 17th August, at the Arena Essex Raceway in a meeting crucial to both teams Play Off aspirations.

The Essex side are currently in third place in the Sky Sports Elite League one point ahead of their visitors and have two home matches in hand over them,  but with Peterborough and Birmingham closing in on the race for a top four finish and, therefore, a place in the Play Offs  neither team can afford defeat.

The Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook commented: “We have come this far and we need to stay unbeaten at home from here on in. The Eagles are never to be underestimated and it’s sure to be another night of full on action this Friday at our Raceway”.

The Hammers make one change to the team that saw off Birmingham at the Arena Essex Raceway last Friday by bringing back in Kauko Nieminen in place of Stuart Robson. Eastbourne, without former Hammers rider Joonas Kylmakorpi and Lewis Bridger absent due to injury, will utilise the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility plus bring in Birmingham’s Ben Barker as a guest.

The remainder of the Eagles team will be Australian Cameron Woodward, Swede Simon Gustafsson, Russian Denis Gizatullin, Finn Timo Lahti and Lukas Dryml from the Czech Republic who all represented the Sussex club at the Hammers Raceway on Good Friday earlier this year, when they went down to the Hammers by 19 points.

The action gets underway at the Arena Essex Raceway on Friday with the Grand Parade of riders at 7.45pm with the first of the 15 heats due to start at 8pm.

Admission prices are £17 for adults, £14 for Senior Citizens, Students and Disabled, £12 for Unemployed and 17 and 18 year olds and children aged 6 to 16 inclusive just £1 with children under the age of six admitted free of charge provided they are accompanied by a paying adult. Proof of age or status may be requested.

All tickets may be purchased on the night but, alternatively, they are also available in advance online via the Club’s website at www.lakesidehammers.co