FORTRESS Wimborne Road finally caved in last night (June 30) after fired-up Eastbourne became the first away team to win there in the Elite League since March 26, 2003.

And victory will have been sweet for the Eagles, particularly their joint team manager Jon Cook, as Pirates finally ran out of 'Get Out of Jail Free Cards'.

Like a poor Monopoly player, Poole RIAS just had no answer to the cards played by the opposition, who also took the bonus point to climb into a top five title play-off place.

Eastbourne's win will have been sweet for Cook after he fell out with Pirates co-promoter Matt Ford over the now-infamous heat 13 incident during the Eastbourne-Poole tussle at Arlington on June 5.

Ford ordered Ryan Sullivan and Magnus Zetterstrom to pull out of the race when Eastbourne were on a 5-1 so Pirates lost 5-0 and could use a double points scoring tactical rider in heat 14.

Cook was outraged at the bending, but not breaking, of the rules and said as much to the crowd on the centre green microphone.

Eagles went on to win that meeting 51-44, but the heat 13 controversy still left a sour taste in the Arlington camp.

And after three and a half weeks of fermenting, it spilled out onto the track again at Poole last night, but in the riding, not vocally over the stadium's sound system.

Eagles, who were able to use Gary Havelock as a guest because they were without injured riders Joonas Kylmakorpi and Adam Shields, took the lead in the re-run of the first heat and never let go.

David Norris passed early leader Antonio Lindback, whose bike lifted violently going into the first turn, and Adrian Miedinski, a Pole making his Elite League debut in place of Steen Jensen, overtook Zetterstrom to grab third place and an Eagles 4-2.

That set the ball rolling for the Sussex side, who forged 12-6 in front when their star men, Havelock and Norris, both passed Bjarne Pedersen to grab a 5-1 in the re-run of heat three.

From Poole's point of view, they had already waved goodbye to the bonus point as they trailed by a mammoth 63-50 on aggregate.

Pirates were in 5-1 winning positions in heats five and six.

But Havelock and Miendinksi both dived under Matej Ferjan at separate times to salvage a 3-3 behind Bjarne Pedersen.

Then Zorro, riding his second bike, was passed by Nicki Pedersen and Peter Ljung in the sixth race behind Lindback as Eagles scrambled a 3-3 again.

When Norris and Havelock - both out to impress Great Britain boss Neil Middleditch so he will give them World Team Cup starting places - combined again to get a 5-1 over Sullivan in heat seven, it appeared Poole's challenge for victory on the night was over as well. It was crucial the Australian beat the two Brits to keep Pirates in contention.

But Havelock and Norris both outgated Sullivan, who was out of trap one, and there was no catching them as the Eagles soared 25-17 in front.

Zetterstrom, back on his main bike which had been smashed up in a heat one first bend spill, did well to hold off Miedinski and grab second, worth four points, behind winner Peter Ljung in heat eight.

But it was still shared 4-4 as Pirates made no headway in trying to peg back their deficit.

New German champion Ferjan, the Slovenian who rides under a Hungarian licence, jetted out from the tapes to beat Nicki Pedersen in heat nine.

But the World champion drove hard inside Bjarne Pedersen going into the third bend to split the Poole pair, who had been on a 5-1.

Norris and Havelock did the damage again in heat 10, outgating Lindback for a 5-1 that propelled Eastbourne 10 points ahead.

Tactical rider Sullivan beat off-key Nicki Pedersen as Pirates got a 7-2 in the next race and a brilliant 5-1 by the Australian and Lindback over the World champion in heat 13 sliced their deficit back to 42-41.

Bjarne Pedersen forced his way past Havelock to follow heat 14 winner Ljung home and take the meeting into a final race decider.

But Sullivan, who trapped last, couldn't find a way past Norris as he followed Havelock home behind comfortable race winner Lindback.

Norris, Eastbourne through and through, showed what the result meant to them as he punched the air in delight as he crossed the finish line.

Pirates, meanwhile, were left to lick their wounds as their 26-match winning home league run finally came to an end.