SPEEDWAY: Rossiter pleads for improvement as Robins slump to Poole defeat (From Swindon Advertiser)

SPEEDWAY: Rossiter pleads for improvement as Robins slump to Poole defeat

8:25am Thursday 19th June 2008 in Sport By Anthony Marshall

ALUN Rossiter has fired a warning shot at his under-performing Robins riders - start taking the pressure off Leigh Adams.' Swindon have to overturn a 13-point deficit tonight at Blunsdon if they are to progress to the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup, but any chance of a comeback could have been out of reach had it not been for the super skipper.

The Robins were saved from total humiliation by the Aussie, who returned an 18-point full maximum at Poole to keep his side just about in contention.

Mads Korneliussen scored 11 points and new-boy Manuel Hauzinger picked up a promising paid four but, that aside, the rest of the team flattered to deceive.

And a furious Rossiter is demanding that they put things right tonight in the second leg, and not leave it to Adams to get them out of any tight spots.

"I'm very disappointed with the result, and even more so with three of the riders," fumed Rosco.

"The performances of James Wright, Travis McGowan and Seb Alden were not good enough.

"It was a two-and-a-half man team. Those three just looked nothing like the riders they are and they should have been.

"There's no hiding from it and they know that it wasn't good enough - I've told them already.

"I know we were struggling without Troy (Batchelor), but there was no excuse for those levels of performance.

"Leigh was fantastic, as he always is, but why should we always look to him when we're struggling?

"Sometimes we can rely on him too much, and other people need to step up to the plate.

"If a couple of the others had chipped in then it could have been a lot different tonight.

"The rest of them have got to start coming up with the goods."

The Robins were in front for the first two heats, but once they surrendered that lead they were always playing an, ultimately unsuccessful, game of catch up.

Consecutive 5-1's in heats three and four saw Swindon slip off the pace and Poole went on to build a 12-point lead by the end of heat 10.

Adams was sent out for a tactical ride in heat 11 and duly returned six points, but wasn't helped by the performance of Alden, who trailed in last, with Davey Watt and Jordan Frampton ensuring that the double points didn't damage the Pirates too much.

From the remaining four heats it was honours even in three rides as the points were shared, and in a final throw of the dice Mads Korneliussen was nominated for a 15-metre tactical substation ride in the penultimate heat.

But the handicap proved too great and the Dane was unable to stamp his authority on the race as Poole claimed the win to ensure that they will head into tonight's clash as strong favourites.

A Robins victory in the second leg appears a tough ask, especially as Swindon are missing the huge talent of injured Aussie Troy Batchelor, but Rossiter is refusing to rule anything out and believes his side could still grab an unlikely semi-final place.

He said: "Anything's possible and even though it seems like a big challenge, you never know.

"The lads have got to pick themselves up quickly and up their game because otherwise it will be a short season and we'll just be left challenging for the league.

"It was a very poor performance - there's no getting away from that - but I guess the only bit of comfort is that tomorrow night can't be any worse."