Cameron Woodward secured a remarkable home derby win for Eastbourne Eagles, then gave a red-faced team mate a lift.

Woodward teamed up with the outstanding Simon Gustafsson for a match-clinching heat 14 5-1 as Eagles beat Poole Pirates 51-44 at Arlington.

The result, plus a draw at Poole earlier in the day, puts Eagles second in the early-season Elite League table.

They surged into a 38-25 lead after ten heats of a contest which survived persistent rain as track staff, fans and riders stuck with it.

Poole cut the gap to 43-40 before the Eagles pair did their bit in style in the penultimate race, only for Gustafsson to tumble as he tried a celebratory wheelie.

Woodward, who has not made the best of starts to the season, had to give his colleague a lift back to the pits as fans cheered.

The Aussie said: "That's why I don't do wheelstands!

"We're not doing bad for the team who were supposed to be last, are we?

"I was just glad to win a race. The track was hard work but we weren't getting worried. We're better in some heats than others."

Eagles completed a three-point haul, and five for the day, when Lewis Bridger and Davey Watt rode out a last-race 3-3 behind Chris Holder.

They led 14-10 when Woodward went down in heat five behind Bjarne Pedersen.

The Dane was somewhat controversially disqualified by referee Christina Turnbull for unfair riding.

Poole's reply, once Pedersen's lengthy complaints had finished, was to request a track inspection and at that stage it seemed the meetng might be abandoned.

A ten-minute break was called for track work, then Bridger and Woodward came back out to post a 5-1 over Lukasz Jankowski in the re-run.

More impressive was the next race in which Watt and David Norris both beat the otherwise invincible Holder.

Eagles were 24-12 up at that stage but Poole responded with a 7-2 as Joe Screen grabbed a double points win by inches from Lukas Dryml's stern challenge.

As the rain continued to pour, the track held up superbly and riders responded in conditions which would normally have meant a hasty call-off.

Dryml beat Pedersen when the Dane took Poole's second double-points ride but that 5-3 still served as the spark for Pirates' late meeting revival.

Still, Eastbourne have a firm grip on south coast bragging rights so far this season, having already beaten them home and away in the Elite Shield.

Eagles: Gustafsson 11+1 (5), Watt 10+1 (5), Bridger 10 (5), Dryml 7+1 (4), Woodward 6+2 (4), Norris 6+2 (4), Kling 1 (3).

Poole: Holder 13 (5), Screen 11+1 (4)^, Pedersen 8+1 (5)^, Hurry 5+1 (4), Davidsson 3+1 (4), Neathj 3 (5), Jankowski 1 (3).