Eastbourne Eagles second string Dean Barker was involved in an ugly on-track skirmish as they went down 54-36 at Poole yesterday.

The Eastbourne rider finished third, just ahead of Pirates' Hans Andersen in heat 11 of an absorbing Sky Sports Elite League clash at Wimborne Road.

Then the fireworks started in front of a bemused, but enthralled, 5,000 crowd.

Barker rammed Andersen with his bike as the four riders in the race, including winner Tony Rickardsson and second-placed Martin Dugard, cruised back round to the pits.

The Eastbourne man then drew level with Andersen and appeared to throw a punch at the Poole rider.

Barker got off his bike and tried to remonstrate with a stunned Andersen on the back straight.

But the Eagle was stopped from attempting to throw more punches by track staff, who dashed from the pits gate to keep the two riders apart.

Barker didn't seem to have any case for sour grapes.

He had come under a strong last bend challenge from Andersen, who failed by half a bikes length to get past.

The Poole rider had to react quickly to avoid hitting Barker from behind at the end of the third lap when the Eagle slowed up slightly in front of him. It was Barker's last scheduled ride in the meeting and he never rode again.

Eastbourne reserve Joonas Kylmakorpi was lucky to escape an exclusion for unfair riding when his back wheel clipped Grzegroz Walasek in heat 14 and put the Poole man in the first bend fence.

Those two ugly incidents overshadowed a superbly entertaining meeting in which Dugard (7+1), Joe Screen (8) and Barker (7+1) did their best to peg Eagles' deficit.

The return, which should attract an enormous crowd to Arlington, is at 5.30pm on Sunday, when the bonus point will be up for grabs and the meeting will be covered live by Sky.

Eastbourne go to Coventry in the league tonight.

Eastbourne: Joe Screen 8, Martin Dugard 7+1, Dean Barker 7+1, Brent Werner 5+1, Joonas Kylmakorpi 4+1, David Norris 3, Marcus Andersson 2+1.

Poole: Gary Havelock 12+2, Tony Rickardsson 11+1, Krzysztos Cegielski 10+1, Hans Andersen 8, Grzegroz Walasek 7+1, Lee Richardson 6+2, Craig Watson 1