SWINDON Robins were out-trapped and battled against Somerset Rebels at the Oak Tree Arena on Wednesday night, losing 56-34.  

Alun Rossiter's men lost their grip at the top of the SGB Premiership table, with tonight's opponents Somerset leapfrogging the Robins instead. 

Despite winning seven of the 15 heats, the Robins couldn't convert heats into race advantages - running last places in 14 of the 15 races. 

Frenchman David Bellego replicated his opening race from Monday night against Wolverhampton when taking the chequered flag comfortably ahead of Aaron Summers and Rebels’ guest number one Rory Schlein.

There was frustration meanwhile for Troy Batchelor, who pulled up having completed only one bend with mechanical issues.

Garry May’s men established a two-point lead following heat two as Zach Wajtknecht split the home reserve pair before Nicolas Covatti’s win in heat three ensured the home side doubled their lead to four points by heat three.

A frustrating opening block of races was epitomised when Jack Smith was warned for moving at the start after launching from the tapes in the original staging of heat four, only for Rebels’ Jack Holder and Bradley Wilson-Dean to record a comfortable 5-1 in the re-run.

Bellego’s hot form continued into heat five as Rebels surrendered a 5-1 while exiting turn two of lap one. The French international rounded the home pair on the backstraight before stretching his lead throughout the remainder of the race.

Swindon’s deficit remained at eight points following heat six as Rohan Tungate beat Rory Schlein and Aaron Summers comfortably, but a further two points were added to the Rebels’ lead when Jack Holder ruthlessly shoved Adam Ellis wide to claim a deserved win in heat seven.

Bellego’s inspired form extended to his third ride when he cut underneath Bradley Wilson-Dean before rounding Aaron Summers in one move to promote himself from third to first.

The Robins lacked back-up again though with Bellego’s partner Zach Wajtknecht in fourth.

Three wins on the spin proved enough for Robins boss Alun Rossiter to put Bellego in place of Wajtknecht as Swindon’s tactical substitute in heat nine.

The move failed to work, though, as Richard Lawson got the better of Rohan Tungate in a race-long battle which saw both riders trade blows on all four corners. Bellego finished fourth as the Rebels stretched their lead to 12 points.

Polish star Tobiasz Musielak recorded his first heat win when working his way past both Aaron Summers and Rory Schlein in heat 10, but his efforts didn’t allow the visitors to make any inroads into the home side’s lead as Adam Ellis was passed and relegated to fourth.

Somerset recorded their sixth race advantage in 11 heats when Jack Holder and Jake Allen paired up for a 4-2, though Allen’s third place was somewhat fortuitous after David Bellego retired on the final lap when holding third behind Troy Batchelor.

Somerset then wrapped up all three league points on offer to them when Nicolas Covatti and Bradley Wilson-Dean earned Rebels’ second 5-1 of the night when winning from the tapes to move the hosts onto 45 points while the Robins had a mountain to climb on 27.

Any slim hopes of the Robins earning a consolation bonus point were dashed in heat 13 when home duo Rory Schlein and Jack Holder coasted to a 5-1 while Batchelor retired for a second time.

An advantageous inside gate was exploited by Tobiasz Musielak in heat 14 as Robins recorded another 3-3. 

Swindon rounded the night off with an entertaining 5-1 when Rohan Tungate and Tobiasz Musielak denied Jack Holder a maximum.

SOMERSET REBELS 54 SWINDON ROBINS 36

Somerset: Rory Schlein 7+2 (1’-2-1’-3), Aaron Summers 6+1 (2-1’-1’-2), Nico Covatti 8+1 (3-1’-1-3-0), Richard Lawson 7+1 (1-2-3-1’), Jack Holder 12+1 (3-3-3-2’-1), Jake Allen 7 (3-1-1-2), Bradley Wilson-Dean 6+2 (0-2’-2-2’).

Swindon: Troy Batchelor 2 (R-0-2-R), David Bellego 9 (3-3-3-0-R), Adam Ellis 5 (2-2-0-1), Tobiasz Musielak 8+1 (R-0-3-3-2’) Rohan Tungate 10 (1-3-2-1-3), Zach Wajtknecht 2 (2-0-0-0), Jack Smith 1+1 (1’-0-0).