WORLD champion Tai Woffinden expects Swindon to be ‘dangerous’ in the second half of the Elite League season but he and his Wolves side are targeting tonight’s meeting in their own bid to rise up the table.

Like the Robins, the men from Monmore Green have struggled for consistency during the opening weeks of the season but fifth in the table, five points ahead of Swindon who have two meetings in hand.

The two sides meet this evening at the Abbey Stadium, with Woffinden well aware of the power Alun Rossiter’s side possess but believing his side are capable of coming away with something.

“We have to pick up points away from home and Swindon is one of the meetings we have to target. It’s a big, fast track and I’m looking forward to racing on it,” he told the Advertiser.

“Swindon have some good riders in Peter Kildemand and Troy Batchelor and with guys like Simon Gustafsson starting to click they could be dangerous in the second half of the season.

“We could – and should – be doing better than we are and I hold my hand up and say I’ve contributed to that. I just can’t find the consistency in the league and that’s something I’m working on and we’ve dropped some silly points along the way.”

After some early seasons stutters, the world champion is now happy to be approaching his best form and shares the lead of the World Championship with Greg Hancock following his victory in Prague last time out.

“I’m a lot happier now,” he said. “I never doubted my own ability because you don’t become a bad rider overnight and I’ve got good people around me.

“That’s important because when things were going tough my team were there for me. I knew what had to be done and thankfully things are working out pretty good now.”

Woffinden races alongside Robins skipper Troy Batchelor at Polish giants Wroclaw, as well as in the GP series, and believes the Aussie has what it takes to make the grade at speedway’s top level.

“I know how tough it is to step up to the GP,” he said. “Troy had a late call and had to make frantic preparations, but it’s a big step to take and he will benefit from the experience.

“He’s shown signs of what he can do and he will take some important points off people this season.

“He just needs to keep working hard. You have to dedicate yourself and keep believing, but I’m sure Batch is doing that anyway. He doesn’t need advice from me, he is a damn good rider as it is.”