Eastbourne Eagles are on the brink of crashing out of the Elite League title race after losing 46-44 at Oxford.

Team boss Jon Cook, who had said it was a must-win match for Eagles before the start, admitted afterwards: "It's not looking good now."

Eastbourne needed to beat Oxford and then win against Belle Vue at Arlington tonight to put themselves back in the play-off picture.

They nearly did the first part, hauling themselves back from a 12-point deficit to contest a last-heat decider.

Skipper David Norris was inspirational, scoring a paid 15 points, while Nicki Pedersen emerged from a traumatic start to finish with paid 14 against the club who sacked him.

Pedersen had only two points after his first three rides, which included a fall and an exclusion for failing to beat the two-minute time limit.

His three wins later in the meeting included two over the man who replaced him at Oxford, Greg Hancock, the only occasions he was beaten.

Norris figured in all of Eastbourne's three 5-1 heat wins, two with Pedersen and one with Joonas Kylmakorpi.

Eastbourne are to consider appealing against Oxford's use of Ryan Fisher as a guest for Andy Smith.

Fisher scored a paid ten points.

All the damage on the track was done when Eagles conceded three 5-1's in succession in heats two, three and four.

Eastbourne got the bonus point, but that is unlikely to be enough for them.

Oxford: Greg Hancock 16, Sebastian Ulamek 10, Charlie Gjedde 9, Ryan Fisher 7, Travis McGowan 4, Matej Ferjan 0.

Eastbourne: David Norris 13, Nicki Pedersen 13, Joonas Kylmakorpi 8, Adam Shields 7, Dean Barker 2, Scott Robson 1.