SWINDON Robins head into the play-offs on the back of a second heavy defeat as they lost 52-38 away to Wolverhampton Wolves last night.

Having picked their semi-final opponents before the meeting at Monmore Green, opting for Poole Pirates, who snuck into the top four last week, team manager Alun Rossiter would have wanted to send out a message, with the first leg at Wimborne Road next Monday.

However, Swindon ended the regular season with a limp display as they were well beaten by last season’s champions, who face Belle Vue Aces in the semi-finals this time out.

“I’m bitterly disappointed,” said Rossiter, who won’t be afraid of a return to Monmore should they meet in the final.

“Once we got out in front, we were fine. We just couldn’t master the starts tonight.

“I think, because of the two meetings, the track was a little bit heavier than normal, but once you got up on the wide line, there was not a lot of passing.

“You had to get right on the fence and ride it up high.

“If we have to come back here, we’ll have no fear.

“I’m sure that – they’ve all had a go here recently – if we have to come back I’m confident we will be fine.”

It was a great start from Jason Doyle to take the lead in heat one but was taken by Freddie Lindgren heading into the penultimate lap, with Adam Ellis taking Kyle Howarth for a share of the spoils.

However, things started to fall apart early on for Swindon as the Wolves duo of Mark Riss and Nathan Greaves got more traction from the line in heat two as they took the lead, Mitchel Davey going down in bend two of lap two as the hosts took a maximum.

In heat three, the Swindon duo of Tobiasz Musielak and David Bellego struggled from the start this time and the Wolves pair of Rory Schlein and Jacob Thorssell took advantage.

Musielak fought hard to get second spot back and nearly came off his bike in bend two of lap two, trying to avoid Thorssell, but conceded a second maximum in a row.

Nick Morris got the jump in heat four but saw the door closed on him into bend one, going wide to take Greaves for second spot but could not deny another heat advantage for the hosts as they pulled out a 10 point lead early on.

Doyle took the tactical ride immediately in heat five, but under pressure Ellis looked to move at the start as he fell to the back and with the Swindon skipper leading into bend two, he went high and had to put his bike down to lose the advantage of the black and white cap.

The burden then fell on Ellis to recover at least a share of the points and despite a fine start to take the lead, he was put under the cosh by Thorssell all the way around the outside and conceded the lead into bend one of lap two as Wolves further extended their advantage.

Morris got away well from gate one in heat six but was put under pressure by the Wolves duo of Lingren and Howarth down the back straight, holding on for the win despite a late mistake.

Gate one again proved the gate to be on at Monmore Green in heat seven as Sam Masters made a fine getaway but Musielak took him through the inside of one and two, only for the Aussie to come back at the Pole into bend one of lap two and take another heat advantage.

In heat eight, the Wolves pair of Howarth and Greaves came close to taking each other out in bends one and two to let Ellis lead with ease, Perry caught up at the back, despite pushing Greaves all the way.

Morris forced Schlein wide in bend one of heat nine, allowing Davey to come through, only for the Wolves man to speed past down the back straight, with the guest reserve retiring again.

Pole Musielak got away well in heat 10 and held onto the lead impressively, despite intense pressure from Lindgren all the way.

Howarth had an awkward fall out of bend two of last lap after his chain snapped to bring race to abrupt end and gifting Swindon their first heat advantage of the evening.

Gate one again proved fruitful in heat 12 as Doyle got away well and didn’t look back, Ellis struggling to trouble Riss at the back.

Musielak and Schlein had a real battle for the lead in bends one and two of heat 13, with the Wolves man pushing the Pole high to take the lead.

Greaves came down on third lap out of bend two to hand Davey a point, but was able to return to his bike to finish the race.

Doyle and Masters went toe-to-toe into bend one of heat 13, with the latter being forced very deep but Lindgren held on at the front, with Morris pushing in second spot.

A poor start from Perry saw him fall to the back early in heat 14 and Bellego, who had struggled with his bike all evening, took a brief lead but his bike just couldn’t keep up with that of Thorssell, who claimed his third win of the evening to give Wolves a 16-point lead heading into the last heat.

Morris was tuned in by the end of the meeting, taking heat 15 but Doyle struggled for grip from the line and fell to the back but was able to take Masters before the fellow Aussie pulled up with bike issues to reduce the final deficit to 14 points.