Ablitt steps up as Eastbourne Eagles face Plymouth

Ablitt, from Hailsham, has turned in some impressive performances for the club’s second team, the Seagulls, this season. He is in the team at reserve to face Plymouth at Arlington Stadium on Saturday (July 31).

The Eagles also welcome back Kyle Newman from injury and Tom Brennan, who missed last week’s home match because he was in action for Great Britain. Another Seagull to be given a chance on Saturday is the popular Jake Knight who stands in for Drew Kemp, who is riding in Poland. Both Tom and Drew have also been selected to represent Team GB in the European Under 23 Team Final in Germany on Sunday.

The club are especially indebted to Tom, who has arranged transportation to Germany immediately after the Eagles match v Plymouth so that he can ride for the Eagles.

Team manager Trevor Geer explained the reason for bringing in Ablitt. He said: “We very much see Jason as a long-term work in progress and a vital part of our future. Through no fault of Jason’s, the NDL season at Mildenhall started late and it’s very frustrating that what matches they have had have clashed with Eastbourne fixtures, some of them rearranged.

“We can see that Jason is giving 100% as always but really needs to rebuild shattered confidence. We have discussed with Jason that the best way to do this is to have a break and focus on the NDL for a few months. Nathan on the other hand has confidence from some NDL action and will come in to replace Jason.”

Geer believes Ablitt, who is now the Eagles Rising Star, has a great future in the sport. He said: “We have seen him riding since he was a little kid at Arlington and I believe he has one hell of a future. We put him in at Scunthorpe and he wasn’t afraid of who he was racing and was on the pace. I think he could follow in the tyre tracks of Tom Brennan, as a top Rising Star.

Plymouth have former Eastbourne No 1 from the club’s Elite League days, Bjarne Pedersen, in their team but Jason Crump, the joint Arlington track record holder, is not fit to race.

Mark Phillips, the Plymouth promoter, said: “We were hopeful last weekend that Jason Crump may be fit enough to ride in this week’s fixtures including the match at Eastbourne on Saturday, July 31. We have monitored his progress carefully and on a daily basis.

“We waited until Monday evening before deciding on Richard Lawson as a guest for our match on Tuesday night against Leicester Lions. Following further medical assessment, it became clear yesterday that Jason is still a few weeks away from being fit enough to return. We will reluctantly therefore have to continue with a guest at No 1 until Jason is fit to race.”