David Norris has told his Eastbourne Eagles colleagues to keep smiling through the challenges of their rollercoaster season.

Eagles face a damage limitation exercise in the Elite League tonight when they visit Reading Bulldogs.

But they are in good heart after overcoming their customary slow start to enjoy a 51-39 home win over Ipswich Witches on Saturday.

Norris helped cap a 17-7 surge over the last four races by sharing a heat-15 maximum with Nicki Pedersen as Eagles became increasingly authoritative as the meeting wore on.

They finished with ten heat wins and Norris, who had three of them, said: "We're the Eagles and we're fighting.

"We're here to have a good time and to try and enjoy the season.

"We've got the youth of Lewis Bridger, another one coming through in Cameron Woodward, a former world champion (Pedersen) and we want to win the league.

"But what we also want to do is enjoy it.

"It's a pleasure to watch people like Lewis and Nicki.

"Success is a journey not a destination. Half the fun is getting there.

"The trouble is people lose sight of that and it becomes all about now.

"We'll enjoy it. And if we end up in the top four that's a bonus."

Eagles promoter Jon Cook certainly enjoys the way his injury-hit squad dig their way out of adversity.

But he could do without that adversity in the first place.

Eagles have made a habit of falling behind in home fixtures this season but looked to have a reasonably straightforward mission against a below-strength Ipswich outfit.

So what happened? Chris Louis and Kim Jansson posted a first-race maximum to send Ipswich into an instant four-point lead.

The home reserves wiped that out immediately as Woodward neatly darted inside Jan Jaros to take second place in heat two while Bridger disappeared into the distance ahead of them.

But, with ex-Eagle Mark Loram outgating Pedersen in heat four and Dean Barker struggling due to illness, Eagles only led 34-32 after 11 heats.

Glen Phillips then got the best start to heat 12 but Bridger hurtled outside him in front of the grandstand and the scene was set for Eagles to end the contest with three 4-2s and a 5-1.

Pedersen, after that early setback against Loram, had to work hard to get outside Piotr Protasiewicz and win heat seven but was thereafter untroubled.

And Bridger picked himself up from what looked a nasty crash into the air fence when pursuing Jansson in heat eight to help open the 12-point lead which gives some hope of a rare bonus point.

Cook said: "The way we do things is a worry but it also shows a lot of character.

"I imagine more experienced people than me might say this is a character-building season.

"The riders are having to show a lot of character, particularly the four we have to go over to for the last four races, which is Nicki, David, Dean and Lewis.

"We are providing a high level of entertainment but we need to be winning meetings a little bit easier."

Barker, still feeling unwell, is expected to miss tonight's meeting, with Eagles asset and Rye House rider Edward Kennett his most likely replacement.

The fixture is Eagles' sixth on the road and will be followed by a new set of averages and the complications of team re-jigging.

Norris, though, is keeping it simple. He said: "Our objectives are to win at home.

"Reading will be an experience for us but we'll enjoy it and if we go well we will push them hard."