SPEEDWAY: Robins up to second in the table (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Back-to-form Batch gives Lakeside a hammering

7:41am Tuesday 19th June 2012 in Sport

Sky Sports Elite League

Lakeside Hammers 36

Swindon Robins 53

SWINDON romped to a massive 53-36 win at Lakeside to claim the maximum four points and move into second place behind champions Poole Pirates in the Elite League table.

Troy Batchelor enjoyed his best display of the season for the Robins with 14 points, and having made it through to the semi-finals of the 2013 Grand Prix qualifying in Poland on Saturday, the young Aussie is hoping his frustrating season has turned the corner.

This was a solid all round display in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Robins hit the hosts hard in the latter part of the meeting after the scores were level following nine heats.

The winning margin clearly flattered the visitors as home track specialist Peter Karlsson was forced to retire twice when in good scoring positions, but this takes nothing away from a well deserved Swindon win.

Boss Alun Rossiter said: “I'm really pleased and proud of my riders tonight, it’s a great result for us.

“It was a great team effort but I must mention Batch who finally got going tonight. He was back to the rider we know he is.”

The Robins will be looking to add to their tally when they face Belle Vue at the Abbey on Thursday – weather permitting.

Swindon have had no fewer than 11 fixtures called off this season – five of them at home.

There has never been a better time to try and close the four-point gap on the Pirates as the league leaders are going to be without Darcy Ward for at least three weeks.

The double World U21 champion broke two bones in his left hand and went straight into surgery after his race fall in the Polish league on Sunday.

LAKESIDE: Peter Karlsson 10, Robert Mear 9+1, Kauko Nieminen 7+1, Davey Watt 5, Richie Worrall 3+1, Kim Nilsson 2+2, R/R.

SWINDON 53: Troy Batchelor 14, Jason Doyle 13+2, Hans Andersen 11+2, Peter Kildemand 6, Robin Aspegren 3+1, Simon Stead 3+1, Nick Morris 3.