SGB Premiership

Leicester Lions 45
Swindon Robins 46
FIVE wins in a row – the last three in the space of five days without their talismanic skipper Jason Doyle – have seen Swindon Robins surge into the play-off places of the SGB Premiership.

Having done the double over Belle Vue on Thursday and Friday, Swindon produced a remarkable finish to clinch a 46-45 win from a dramatic BT Sport-televised clash at Leicester on Monday.

Team boss Alun Rossiter admitted his side were below their best, and the Lions finished with just four riders, but you can only beat what is in front of you.

Securing three 5-1s in the final four races to turn around an 11-point deficit against their injury-hit hosts, it was Nick Morris and recent signing Tobiasz Musielak who secured a last-gasp win. Musielak finished the night top scorer for the visitors on a paid 16 points.

Musielak and David Bellego combined for a 5-1 in heat three to give Swindon the early advantage, but a series of Leicester heat wins followed with the home reserves both outstanding.

The Lions lost recent arrival Kyle Newman with an arm injury after a heat one spill, but with both reserves – Lasse Bjerre and Erik Riss – in form and taking extra rides, it looked like they would have the strength to cover.

Leicester led 29-19 after eight races but the ninth heat provided major drama, firstly when Robins’ Adam Ellis fell on the fourth bend when holding a 5-1 with Morris.

Ellis was withdrawn with a shoulder injury – although it is not thought to be serious – and far worse followed for the home side in the re-run when Riss left newcomer and home debutant Pawel Przedpelski no room on turn four, with the Pole ploughing into the fence at high speed and suffering suspected ankle injuries.

The Robins initially looked unable to take advantage of the Lions being down to four riders as the home side actually extended their lead to 11 points across the next three races, Musielak suffering defeat to Kim Nilsson in heat 10 when the new Swindon man took a tactical ride.

But the match began to turn in heat 12 when Bjerre came to grief on the second lap attempting an outside pass on Musielak, allowing Zach Wajtknecht to take second place for a 5-1.

Morris and Troy Batchelor then combined for a well-worked maximum in the next with Morris squeezing between Nilsson and Danny King on turns three and four, which reduced the gap to three points.

Riss kept Leicester in pole position with a win in heat 14 but there was more carnage in the first attempt to run the decider as Nilsson brought Batchelor down on the first bend, both falling heavily.

Nilsson was disqualified and with Batchelor unfit to ride, Morris came in to partner Musielak – and despite King hitting the front going into the second lap, Morris re-passed him for the lead and Musielak then produced an inside move at the start of lap four with King hitting the fence on the final turn as he tried to respond, leaving the Robins as lucky winners by a single point.

Boss Alun Rossiter said: “We were poor tonight, but I put that down to the track, which wasn’t very good. We were beaten in our heads by the track. But in speedway you make your luck, the luck was on our side and we got away with it. We still got the three points, which is important.”

The Robins continue their busy spell when they visit Poole tomorrow night (Wednesday) before hosting Rye House at the Abbey 24 hours later.

It must be hoped that Poole asset Ellis will be fit for the visit to Wimborne Road and it will be good to welcome Jason Doyle back to the team in a week when he hopes on Saturday to pull clear of the field in Cardiff’s British Grand Prix.

LEICESTER: Lasse Bjerre 14+2, Erik Riss 14, Danny King 7+2, Kim Nilsson 7, Pawel Przedpelski 3, Kyle Newman 0, Josh Bates R/R.

SWINDON: Tobiasz Musielak 15+1, Nick Morris 10+1, Troy Batchelor 10, David Bellego 5+2, Zach Wajtknecht 3+2, Bradley Wilson-Dean 2, Adam Ellis 1.