Depleted Fen Tigers lose final

The Mildenhall Fen Tigers were out of luck in their bid to prevent the Eastbourne Eagles from winning the National League Knockout Cup for a fourth year in a row this evening.

The West Row-based side headed down to the Sussex coast holding a 14-point advantage from Friday night's first leg at the Mildenhall Stadium.

However, back at their Arlington base, Eastbourne not only overturned that deficit, they ended up winning the meeting 53-31 to give them an aggregate victory of 91-83.

That only tells half of the story, though, as the Fen Tigers' injury curse struck once again.

Already operating a rider replacement for the sidelined Danny Ayres, the visitors ended up with a team of just four members after Sam Bebee and captain Jordan Jenkins were forced to withdraw.

Bebee crashed into the air fence during heat two, while Jenkins suffered a foot injury.

The skipper wrote on the club's Facebook page towards the end of the meeting: "Sorry guys I’m devastated. I’m now on my way back to Norwich to get my foot looked at. Sorry again."

The already-qualified Fen Tigers could face Eastbourne again with silverware on the line in the near future, with the Eagles and Coventry Bees set to face off tomorrow and on October 17 for the right to advance through to the final of the National League Play-Offs.

* For reaction to the defeat, plus a look ahead to the Play-Off final, see this week's Journal and Free Press print editions.