8:43pm Thursday 10th April 2008
By Gareth Moorhouse
SWINDON Robins maintained their 100 per cent home record with a comfortable 50-43 victory over Lakeside Hammers in the Sky Sports Elite League at Blunsdon tonight.
Robins never trailed in the meeting, as Alun Rossiter's men gained revenge for last week's 50-45 reverse in Purfleet.
Captain Leigh Adams led from the front with a tapes to flag victory in heat one, with former Swindon guest Davey Watt for company in second place. James Wright profited from a Leigh Lanham retirement on lap three to bag a useful point for Swindon.
Ricky Kling flew out of the traps in heat two to notch Hammers' first heat win of the night. Seb Alden and Cory Gathercole ensured Robins shared the spoils with Lubos Tomicek well off the pace.
Troy Batchelor was never troubled in heat three, while Mads Korneliussen traded places with Adam Shields before finally leaving his rival trailing in his tyre tracks to secure a 5-1.
Seb Alden looked set for a heat win in four before a spectacular crash into the fence on lap two. Lakeside took full advantage to hit back with a 5-1, Davidsson leading substitute Kling home from a disappointing Travis McGowan.
Korneliussen and Batchelor continued their impressive form in five, forcing Watt wide on the opening bend before roaring to a second successive 5-1 in a blistering time of 65.24.
Adams then produced a superb piece of team riding to nurse James Wright to victory in six, the Aussie crossing the line second for yet another Swindon maximum.
Lakeside used the tactical ride in heat seven, Adam Shields donning the black and white helmet for double points. The ploy worked perfectly as Gathercole stalled on the tapes and Kylmakorpi passed McGowan on the opening bend to set up a crucial 8-1 for the visitors, and the lead was reduced to 27-24.
Heat eight was won by Lanham, but Wright and Alden ensured Swindon mainained their slender three-point advantage.
Heat nine went to a re-run after Jonas Davidsson touched the tapes. The Swede came off a 15-metre handicap in the re-run but made no impression as Korneliussen and Batchelor stormed to their third maximum of the night.
Adams and Wright couldn't quite repeat the trick in 10, but they did secure a 4-2 as the world number two kept Shields in his shadow.
A game Cory Gathercole thrilled the crowd in heat 11, but he couldn't quite hold off the challenge of Lanham, who made a clinical pass on the final lap to secure a Lakeside 5-1 behind Davey Watt.
The meeting was all but over as a contest after heat 12, Alden and Batchelor riding superbly in tandem to produce yet another Robins maximum, as Shields and Kling were left chasing shadows.
Another 5-1 followed in heat 13, Adams guiding fellow Aussie McGowan to a much-needed victory as Watt was forced to settle for a point.
Heat 14 produced some excellent racing, as Korneliussen hit the front on lap three, passing Kling with a breathtaking pass on the second bend. Gathercole limped home in fourth though as the points were shared.
And Swindon wrapped up a comfortable 13-point win as Batchelor and Korneliussen trailed Shields for a 3-3 in the final heat of the evening.
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