Eastbourne Eagles today hailed an incredible performance by Nicki Pedersen as they prepared for a major final.

Pedersen scored five wins out of five, one of them when riding for double points, as Eagles clinched a place in the Elite League Knockout Cup final last night.

Eagles eventually lost 52-41 in their semi-final second leg at Arena-Essex but it was enough to finish 96-92 up on aggregate and progress to the final against Belle Vue Aces, the first leg of which will be staged at Arlington a week on Saturday.

The contest was as good as over after heat 13, when Eagles led by ten overall, and they allowed Pedersen to sit out the final race.

The Dane, who had missed Eagles' previous nine matches, had been challenged to silence his critics by Eagles promoter Jon Cook.

And Cook admitted: "He did exactly that. It was an incredible performance, right out of the top drawer.

"It was a much tougher meeting than we anticipated but I'm totally delighted."

Eagles, 15 points up from the home leg, were clinging to a five-point aggregate lead when Pedersen, taking his rider-replacement outing for David Norris, teamed up with Adam Shields in heat 11.

With Eagles ten points adrift on the night, they were able to nominate Pedersen for double points.

He duly led Shields home in a re-run for an 8-1 to extend the aggregate lead to 12 points.

Eagles needed that insurance. Dean Barker suffered mechanical problems when well-placed in the next race and came in behind Roman Povazhny and Adam Skornicki as the Hammers enjoyed a 5-1 to keep their hopes alive.

Pedersen, though, beat home star Mark Loram for a third time in heat 13 with Shields, taking his r-r turn for Norris, completing a 4-2 to leave Eagles ten points clear on aggregate and home and dry.

Shields, after falling in heat one, went on to play a big part but Barker and Davey Watt struggled for points and reserves Oliver Allen and Andrew Moore scored just two between them against a paid 17 for their opposite numbers.

Arena-Essex: Lanham 15 (6), Loram 11+1 (6), Hurry 8+1 (5), Havelock 7+3 (5), Povazhny 7+1 (4), Skornicki 4+2 (4)

Eagles: Pedersen 18 (5), Shields 10+2 (6), Watt 6 (6), Barker 5 (5), Allen 2 (4), Moore 0 (4).