Swedish rider Per Wester makes his debut for Eastbourne Eagles at Arlington Stadium tomorrow night.

Wester takes the place of Brent Collyer in the Sussex squad to take on Elite League rivals Oxford Cheetahs.

Eagles have signed Wester from Premier League side Reading in a bid to bolster their championship challenge.

He had a nine-point average for Reading last year and was a heat leader until suffering head and neck injuries in a crash earlier this season.

He currently rides for Valsarna in the Swedish Elite League and was recommended to Eastbourne by team-mate and former Eagles' star Stefan Danno.

Said Eastbourne boss Jon Cook: "The race for the league title is hotting up, and we felt we had to look for some improvement.

"We want to be champions, and I think this signing sends out the right kind of message to our supporters."

Cook believes the arrival of Wester will strengthen the team and boost Eastbourne's chances of gaining vital results away from Arlington.

"We had got to a point where we were giving up three last places before we started, and it was almost like that at home as well."

Cook admitted the decision to axe Collyer was "very hard." The Australian is a whole-hearted trier who has always wanted to make the grade with Eastbourne.

Added Cook: "The boy is very upset. Brent has become a popular part of the set-up, but tough decisions win and lose leagues."

Eastbourne expect to agree a loan deal with a Premier League club for Collyer, who, says Cook, needs experience of racing in a lower league.

"We had a similar situation last year with Seemond Stephens. We let him go to Exeter, and now he is third in the Premier League averages."

Eagles will still be without Paul Hurry for the visit of Oxford and will use rider replacement to cover for his absence.

The Cheetahs are likely to give the Sussex outfit a better run for their money than when they were beaten 55-35 at Arlington and lost 50-43 to Eagles on their own track earlier in the season.

They have since added one-time Eastbourne rider Mark Lemon and Jan Staechmann to their squad and with star men Jimmy Nilsen, Todd Wiltshire and Steve Johnston in the heat-leader roles look a far better team than their lowly league position suggests.

Nilsen, Wiltshire and Johnston between them scored 71 of Oxford's 78 points in the two previous matches against Eagles. If the rest of the team can find points from somewhere, then Eagles could have a scrap on their hands.

Eastbourne: Martin Dugard, rider replacement, Joe Screen, Dean Barker, David Norris, Petri Kokko, Per Wester.

Oxford: Todd Wiltshire, Mark Lemon, Steve Johnston, Jan Staechmann, Jimmy Nilsen, Ales Dryml, Lukas Dryml.

The start is at 7.30.