Robins back on top (From Swindon Advertiser)

Robins back on top

9:54pm Thursday 12th June 2008 in Sport By Gareth Moorhouse

ROBINS moved back to the top of the Sky Sports Elite League with a crushing 53-39 win over Estbourne Eagles at Blunsdon.

A tame opener saw Leigh Adams blast out of the gate and maintain his advantage for a heat win, with reserve Seb Alden a distant fourth behind Lewis Bridger and Scott Nicholls.

Austrian Manuel Hauzinger immediately endeared himself to the Robins faithful, gating superbly to lead heat two, which was awarded 4-2 in the home side's favour when Simon Gustafsson crashed into the fence on lap three.

Mads Korneliussen then stretched Swindon's lead to 11-7, fending off former Blunsdon darling Lee Richardson to bring a huge roar from the home crowd.

Eagles' Edward Kennett paid a heavy price for missing the two-minute warning in heat four. The Eastbourne rider was saddled with a 15 metre handicap, and Swindon subsequently powered to their first maximum, Troy Batchelor and James Wright untroubled from the gate.

Nicholls gave Eastbourne their first heat win in five, expertly keeping Korneliussen at bay to take the chequered flag. McGowan skidded home third ahead of the erratic Bridger, whose ambitious final bend slide sent him spiraling into the fence.

Adams had his team head on in heat six, providing great rear wheel protection for Alden as Robins eased to another maximum, with Kennett and Gustafsson well off the pace.

Lee Richardson took a tactical ride for the Eagles in seven, but it was Batchelor who stole the show with his second heat win of the night. Richardson crossed the line second for a four-point haul, with Hauzinger picking up a useful third.

Eastbourne clawed back some ground in eight, Bridger proving far too quick for Wright, who grabbed second ahead of Gustafsson.

But Swindon put the result beyond any doubt in heat nine, Korneliussen and McGowan leaving Kennett and Brundle chasing shadows for another 5-1.

Heat 10 produced an exciting tussle between former Elite League pairs duo Adams and Richardson, the Swindon asset outmaneuevering the home skipper to set up an Eagles 4-2.

A new Abbey Stadium hero was born in heat 11, the swashbuckling Hauzinger leading from tapes-to-flag, with Nicholls holding Batchelor off for second.

And it was Swindon's other reserve, James Wright, who stole the plaudits in 12, fending of Richardson for another Robins 4-2.

Heat 13 got under way at the second time of asking, and it was a procession for Adams, Nicholls and Kennett filling the other point-scoring positions.

McGowan earned his corn with a heat win in 14, Woodward settling for second with Hauzinger sliding home third.

The final heat went to a re-run after Korneliussen was excluded following his crash on lap two. And Eagles saved some face as Richardson and Nicholls led McGowan home for a flattering 5-1.