Eastbourne Eagles go to Belle Vue tonight without skipper Martin Dugard and Paul Hurry.

Both riders will miss an important match in the club's Elite League title push because they are in Denmark preparing for tomorrow's Inter-Continental final.

Eagles have called on Poole's Scott Nicholls as a guest replacement for Dugard and will use rider replacement for Hurry.

The club have also parted company with Per Wester. Eastbourne boss Jon Cook said: "Things haven't worked out for him or for us."

Second division riders Paul Lee and Rusty Harrison are the most likely replacements for Wester at Belle Vue.

It's not ideal for the Sussex squad, especially after last weekend's controversial defeat at Oxford, but Dugard and Hurry were booked for the world championship qualifying round at Holsted some time ago.

One consolation for Eagles is that Belle Vue's star man, Jason Lyons, is also in Denmark.

Eagles are still furious over the decision by referee Rob Perks which robbed them of possible victory at Oxford and have lodged an appeal with the Speedway Control Board.

Cook said: "If we lose the league because of the referee's decision, it would make a mockery of the whole season."

Perks awarded a 5-1 to Oxford when Dugard crashed, giving the home side victory by 46 points to 44. Eagles want the last race declared void or for it to be re-run with three riders at a later date. Cook said: "This is not a case of his opinion. The referee went against the rulebook."

Dugard was in third place when he crashed with one-and-a-quarter laps gone and, says Cook, in those circumstances the referee had no option but to exclude the Eastbourne rider as the primary cause of the stoppage and order a re-run."

Victory at bottom club Belle Vue would probably have been a formality two months ago when the match was rained off, but they have now revamped their team by signing Shane Parker, Brian Karger, Jan Staechmann and Glenn Cunningham.