SWINDON Robins recorded a confidence boosting 50-40 win against Wolverhampton Wolves at the Abbey Stadium tonight, boosting the club’s chances of making the end-of-season play-offs.

Alun Rossiter’s men proved quicker away from the tapes on a vastly improved track, which granted riders the choice to exploit both inside and outside lines throughout.

The meeting got off to the worst possible start for Robins as skipper Nick Morris was excluded from heat one after tangling with Wolves’ Ashley Morris.

The pair crashed heavily on the apex of turn three, fortunately both walked away from the crash unscathed.

Frenchman David Bellego won the re-run to earn the Robins a 3-3 before reserve pairing Zach Wajtknecht and Jack Smith put the home side ahead with a 4-2 in heat two.

Wolves earned their first maximum race advantage of the night a race later though when Sam Masters led Kyle Howarth to the chequered flag, Howarth had to work overtime to fend off Tobiasz Musielak’s charge while Adam Ellis retired.

Troy Batchelor confidently won heat four ahead of Schlein and Wolves guest Tom Bacon, meaning Robins were chasing a two-point deficit at the first track break.

Tobiasz Musielak and David Bellego took the flag in heats five and six to reverse Robins’ two-point deficit into a two-point advantage.

Zach Wajtknecht and Nick Morris filled the crucial third places, but Wolves recorded a second 5-1 in heat seven to undo the work established in the earlier heats of the second block of races.

While Troy Batchelor made the start, Wolves’ Sam Masters and Kyle Howarth rode the correct lines to block the run of Swindon’s star Australian – who was forced to settle for a rare third place as the visitors re-took the lead.

Alun Rossiter opted to use Zach Wajtknecht in place of Jack Smith in heat eight, a decision which paid dividends when the Bristol-based racer dived underneath Ashley Morris and Tom Bacon to take the lead while David Bellego worked his way into third as Robins brought the meeting level at 24-24.

Wajtknecht was called upon again in heat nine following Tobiasz Musielak’s tapes exclusion.

The youngster again led the way for Swindon, beating Rory Schlein and Cameron Heeps as the Robins secured their first 5-1 of the night with Adam Ellis taking the flag.

The four-point gap remained for Swindon following heat 10 as Nick Morris recorded a confidence boosting win, though there was disappointment for David Bellego who ran another last place behind Masters and Howarth.

Troy Batchelor won from the tapes in heat 11 while Robins reserve Jack Smith continued to show signs of improvement when chasing Ashley Morris all the way to the flag as Wolves secured a 3-3.

Kyle Howarth broke through the tapes in heat 12 to put the Robins at a huge advantage with struggling reserve Tom Bacon the only opposition rider starting from the tapes.

Adam Ellis and Zach Wajtknecht made no mistake from the start, comfortably launching from the tapes to take a routine 5-1 – Robins’ third of the night – and stretch the home side’s lead to eight points.

Wolves’ run of heats without a race advantage stretched to six when Troy Batchelor took another tapes to flag victory in heat 13 with teammate Nick Morris picking up another third to earn the Robins a 4-2.

Though Swindon had already secured the win, Wolverhampton ensured the battle for league points went down to the final heat as tactical substitute Jacob Thorsell won heat 14 with Tobiasz Musielak’s first lap dive on Sam Masters splitting the visiting pair.

Wolves' efforts were in vain though as Tobiasz Musielak won the meeting's last race while partner Troy Batchelor picked up third to confirm a 10-point win.

SWINDON ROBINS 50 WOLVERHAMPTON WOLVES 40

SWINDON: Nick Morris 5 (FX-1-3-1), David Bellego 7 (3-3-1-0), Adam Ellis 6 (R-3-3), Tobiasz Musielak 9 (1-3-2-3), Troy Batchelor 11 (3-1-3-3-1), Zach Wajtknecht 11+2 (3-1-R-3-2’-2’-0), Jack Smith 1 (1-0-0).

WOLVERHAMPTON: Jacob Thorssell 13 (2-2-2-2-3-2), Ashley Morris 4+2 (1’-0-2-1’), Kyle Howarth 6+2 (2’-3-1-‘-0), Sam Masters 8+1 (3-2’-2-1-0), Rory Schlein 5 (2-2-1-0), Cameron Heeps 0 (0-0-0), Tom Bacon 4+1 (2-1’-0-1)