Eastbourne boss Bob Dugard admits his club has been thrust into a double-edged fight for Elite League survival.

The long-serving Eagles promoter says all eyes will be on his club on and off the track over their final three home meetings.

Dugard plans to step down as promoter at the end of the season and there is no sign of anyone willing to take over with the league in its current format.

He is keen for the club to regain the sixth place they occupied for most of the season but admits relegation fears are creeping in after Saturday’s home defeat to Wolverhampton.

Dugard was looking forward to a home win in that one and a ten-point buffer over bottom spot.

Instead, Eastbourne are now just five points clear of danger.

The bottom team face a two-leg play-off against top Premier League opponents to secure an Elite League spot for next season.

Wolves’ visit attracted a third successive crowd above the break-even figure as about 1,300 enjoyed the evening sunshine.

That was almost as significant statistic as the 51-39 scoreline.

Dugard said: “I’ve still not had any approaches of any seriousness about taking over the club.

“I’ve had supporters telling me they are talking to people but quite honestly you get that all the time.

“I’ve been hearing it for 40 years and it has never come to anything.

“I’ve got someone lined up if we had fewer meetings next year, someone at another club who might favour a move to Eastbourne.

“The good thing is crowds have perked up and people from outside will be looking at that aspect.

“Saturday’s crowd was reasonable but still not that far above break-even and it was one of the most attractive meetings of the year.

“Having said that, Lakeside were at home on the same night and that might have taken a couple of hundred floating voters.”

Eagles’ home run-in sees them host Poole on Friday, Coventry on September 7 and Ipswich 12 days later.

Dugard has always been confident Eagles can stay clear of bottom spot but things are getting tight now.

Belle Vue have signed world champion elect Jason Crump for the final weeks of the season.

Crump helped the Aces to a 53-42 home win on Monday over Poole, for whom Eagles skipper Davey Watt scored paid-ten as guest for Hans Andersen.

Andersen also misses Friday’s trip to Arlington.

Dugard said: “Friday is crucial for us. I still don’t think we will finish bottom but we can’t afford to slip up, least of all against Poole.

“I’m sure Belle Vue will get out of it now although I don’t know how their new line-up affects them financially.

“As a club we are still among the top three in the league financially because of the support the Dugard family puts in. Lots of tracks are in serious trouble, not just here but in Poland and Sweden as well.”

Watt’s outing for the Pirates on Monday suggests his back muscle problem has eased but Lukas Dryml has a nagging shoulder injury.

New reserve Daniel Nermark has promised home fans there is more to come after scoring 4+1 (4), including a heat two win, against Wolves.

Nermark said: “I’m not happy. There were one or two heats when it didn’t got the way I wanted it to.”