Oxford Cheetahs 42, Eastbourne Eagles 48:

Oxford boss Aaron Lanney was disappointed and angry as Cheetahs fell to their eighth successive defeat in the Elite League, going down by six points against Eastbourne at Oxford Stadium.

Lanney said: "The changes I announced this week may not be the only ones. I can't accept bad performances. The middle order and No 1 riders need to take a good look at themselves."

Tony Rickardsson did his bit with 13 points and Adam Skornicki weighed in with eight. There was another good show from Eric Andersson, but skipper David Howe, after a rattling good first heat, lost his way and the rest played only bit parts.

Eastbourne were missing top star Nicki Pedersen with flu and Oxford brought in Tomasz Piszcz for Lubos Tomicek, and there was no doubt the Eagles had the best of the bargain as Jason Crump slotted in and looked as sharp as ever.

The Aussie world No 2 romped to five straight wins and was the master of world champion Rickardsson, who wasn't at his best from the gate, but provided some thrilling passing.

Giving good support to Crump were Adam Shields and Dean Barker, while Lewis Bridger continues to improve.

The meeting got off to cracking start as Howe and David Norris battled for supremacy before the Oxford skipper won the day, and the departing Adam Pietraszko made it two Oxford wins on the trot before the Eagles hit back with Shields and Barker storming to a 5-1 after Davey Watt baled out at the second bend.

The first Rickardsson-Crump clash saw the world champ left at the start, but some hard riding gave him second place.

Watt and Skornicki gated in heat five, but Norris soon made his way through to second, before Crump and Rickardsson easily won the next two.

Cheetahs had a wonderful chance to go ahead at the halfway stage as Andersson and Tomasz Piszcz held a 5-1, but first Andrew Moore and then Bridger swooped past Piszcz.

It looked bad for Oxford when Rickardsson was only third away in heat 11, but the Swede muscled his way through to come out on top, and when Watt and Piszcz gained a 4-2 soon after, there was all to play for at 35-37.

However, heat 13 again found Rickardsson wanting as he anticipated the tapes and Crump flew clear, although the world champ had the last word, at last getting the better of Crump the latter's only defeat of the night.

Oxford: Rickardsson 13, Skornicki 8, Andersson 7, Watt 5+1, Howe 4+1, Pietraszko 3, Piszcz 2. 42pts.

Eastbourne: Crump 14, Shileds 12+2, Norris 6+1, Barker 6+1, Moore 5+1, Bridger 3+1, Appleton 2. 48pts.