Former world champion Sam Ermolenko turned back the clock with a magical display at Arlington Stadium on Saturday night.

Ermolenko, now in his 43rd year and No. 1 in a by-gone era of pre-Grand Prix world finals, sparked Eastbourne Eagles to only their second Elite League win in two months.

The American ace ran up a paid 12 points on his first home appearance for Eagles as the Sussex squad beat play-off rivals Oxford 52-38.

Ermolenko's haul included a couple of wins, but the highlight was a brilliant last-lap swoop which took him through a gap between Grand Prix star Todd Wiltshire and the safety fence in the final race.

It was vintage stuff from a rider who, amazingly, last rode for Eastbourne in 1984 and although that point alone might or might not add up to a great deal when Eagles go to Oxford for the return, his massive contribution on the night certainly will.

While one of speedway's master showmen brought the house down, and earlier celebrated his second win of the match with a wheelie the length of the straight, there was a standing ovation for Wiltshire.

The Australian, who has twice hit double figures recently in a similar guest role for Eagles, signalled what is expected to be his last Arlington appearance before his retirement at the end of the season with a lap of honour.

It was the sort of occasion that will live in the memory, which was just as well since referee Barry Richardson seemed intent on dragging out the longest day into the longest night of the year.

Apart from a tumble which temporarily knocked the stuffing out of Wiltshire, and a regrading of the track, there appeared no reason for the slow running of the meeting.

It was a wonder everyone else, including the riders, didn't lose the plot. Fortunately, what for a while looked like deteriorating into near farce, was rescued by Ermolenko and Co.

Adam Shields swept round the outside of Craig Boyce for a superb win in the penultimate race, while earlier there had been passes to whet the appetite by David Norris, Chris Manchester and Nicki Pedersen.

Oxford, whose cause suffered more than Eagles from rider absenteeism because of the Grand Prix qualifying meetings in Italy and Poland, scrapped for every point.

It took the home side until heat ten to notch their first maximum of the night, which as it happened, turned out to be the middle leg of a decisive patch in the proceedings.

A 4-2 to the Silver Machine crew in heat eight, when Norris came off, cut Eastbourne's lead to six points and it would have been down to two if an Oxford gamble had paid off in the next.

The visitors went for broke, bringing in Wiltshire as a tactical substitute to partner Pedersen and for a few seconds the 5-1 was on when the Oxford duo hit the front.

Then it all went wrong, and although Wiltshire survived a hair-raising moment coming out of the pits turn his second place didn't. Dean Barker and Shields were past him in a flash, and that was that.

Norris and Barker bagged a 5-1 in the next when Craig Boyce's machine blew up, and then Joe Screen spearheaded a 4-2 when Wiltshire crashed out.

When Ermolenko and Barker zipped to another 5-1 in heat 12, Eagles led 44-28.

Pedersen and Wiltshire beat Screen and Norris in 13 but, despite their efforts and those of surprise packet Niels Kristian Iversen, the challenge of the Silver Machine had ground to a halt.

Barker topped the Eagles scorechart in back-to-back home matches with a paid 15 points, while British Grand Prix champion Pedersen was magnificent for the visitors, his only defeat in six outings coming at the hands of a great ride by Norris,
Eastbourne: Dean Barker 13, Sam Ermolenko 10, Joe Screen 10, David Norris 9, Adam Shields 7, Chris Manchester 3.

Bonus points: Barker 2, Ermolenko 2, Shields 2.

Oxford: Nicki Pedersen 17, Niels Kristian Iversen 10, Todd Wiltshire 7, Craig Boyce 3, Travis McGowan 1, Henning Bager 0.

Bonus points: Wiltshire 1, Boyce 1.