SWINDON got their Elite League campaign into top gear with an impressive 57-36 win over Belle Vue at the Abbey Stadium on Thursday.

Sky Sports Elite League

Swindon Robins 57

Belle Vue 36

The Robins bounced back from last week’s home slip-up against Coventry to comfortably get the better of an Aces team tipped by some to enjoy a strong season.

Winter signings Simon Gustafsson and Nicolai Klindt both showed good form in a powerful Robins top-order – with the only last place among the top five occurring when Peter Kildemand came to grief in Heat 10.

Danish duo Kildemand and Klindt got the Robins off to the perfect start with a 5-1 in Heat 1 over former Swindon man Matej Zagar who, along with fellow Belle Vue heat-leader Craig Cook, suffered a night of mechanical misery.

Steve Worrall controlled the clashes of the reserves and Swindon raced into a 10-point lead after Heat 5 before Richie Worrall’s tactical ride win over his brother and Klindt cut the gap to seven.

But the Robins’ only serious setback came in that 10th race when Kildemand fell whil chasing Cook and Scott Nicholls, and a scoreline of 34-29 at that stage could have led to some nervous moments.

However, Swindon turned on the style in the closing stages with three 5-1s and two 4-2s in the final five races.

Skipper Troy Batchelor and Nick Morris left the misfiring Zagar trailing in Heat 11, and Morris repeated the feat with Kildemand two races later ahead of Cook as Zagar didn’t even reach the start-line.

Gustafsson was to the fore in the last two races, first heading home Richie Worrall in Heat 14 and then teaming up with Morris for a final 5-1 to complete a highly encouraging night’s work.

SWINDON: Simon Gustafsson 11+2, Nick Morris 11+2, Steve Worrall 9+1, Peter Kildemand 9, Troy Batchelor 8+2, Nicolai Klindt 8+1, Dan Greenwood 1.

BELLE VUE: Richie Worrall 10, Scott Nicholls 9, Matej Zagar 4, Michael Palm Toft 4, Craig Cook 3+1, Stefan Nielsen 3+1, James Sarjeant 3+1.