SWINDON Robins grip on an end-of-season play-off spot was weakened significantly tonight following a crushing 53-37 loss at Monmore Green against Wolverhampton Wolves. 

The loss dented Swindon's hopes of reaching the play-offs further following last Thursday's disappointing home defeat against Belle Vue Aces.

Swindon’s night got off to a disastrous start as Alun Rossiter’s men found themselves eight points down with only two heats raced.

Kyle Howarth and Ashley Morris both won the opening two heats and were comfortably followed by teammates Sam Masters and Tom Bacon.

There was little rest for Swindon in heat three as Tobiasz Musielak crashed heavily when entering the third bend, bringing down Wolves’ Jonas B Andersen in the process.

Musielak was excluded from the re-run, which was won by Sam Masters after he dived underneath Adam Ellis on the first lap as Wolverhampton recorded a third heat advantage.

Skipper Nick Morris became Swindon’s first heat winner of the night in the fourth race when he beat Swede Jacob Thorsell to the chequered flag, though there was disappointment for Jack Smith who crashed for a second time in as many races.

Swindon’s poor start prompted team manager Alun Rossiter to use his tactical substitute early as Nick Morris rode with Troy Batchelor in heat five.

While Morris’ switch paid off as he won the race, his Australian compatriot Batchelor couldn’t find a way past either Sam Masters or Jonas B Andersen as Wolves secured a 3-3.

Morris’ heat five heroics couldn’t be repeated in the following race as Wolverhampton clocked their third maximum of the night courtesy of Andersen and Howarth, who made light work of both Morris and Wajtknecht in third and fourth.

A shared heat seven meant Robins trailed the hosts by 14 points with seven heats raced, continuing the theme which has plagued Swindon’s away form this season.

Zach Wajtknecht made a great start after the track grade in heat eight, though his early efforts were undone when Tom Bacon exploited the outside line to record another heat win for the Wolves.

Kyle Howarth’s third place meant Pete Adams’ side stretched their lead to 16 points.

While there was little for Swindon fans to cheer about, Nick Morris’ outstanding efforts continued in heat nine when he picked the pocket of Sam Masters to earn a deserved victory.

Despite missing the start, Morris pegged the inside line to win while teammate Jack Smith finished fourth.

A 4-2 in favour of the hosts in heat 10 further extended their lead as Alun Rossiter’s troops continued in their search for a first race advantage of the night.

Jacob Thorsell extended Wolves’ lead to 20 points by the interval when he defeated Troy Batchelor in heat 11 with Frenchman David Bellego ending a miserable night with another last place.

Robins’ run of last places was ended in heat 12 when Adam Ellis and Zach Wajtknecht filled the minor placings to earn a 3-3.

Robins looked set to earn their first race advantage in heat 13 when Troy Batchelor led Thorsell and Morris, who worked his way past Howarth.

But Thorsell denied the Robins a race advantage when he dived under Swindon’s No.1 during lap three.

Musielak held onto the lead in heat 14 as Wolves’ lead remained at 20 points entering the last race following Wajtknecht’s last place finish.

There was little consolation in Robins' 5-1 in heat 15 as Musielak led home teammate Nick Morris for Swindon's only heat advantage of the night.