Wright man, wrong outcome for Swindon (From Swindon Advertiser)

Wright man, wrong outcome for Swindon

7:00am Friday 20th June 2008 in Sport By Gareth Moorhouse

MARATHON man James Wright almost inspired a remarkable Robins comeback in the Knockout Cup after another vintage reserve performance at Blunsdon last night.

Wright returned 14 points from seven energy-sapping rides, including a heat win over Poole skipper Bjarne Pedersen, as Swindon just failed to overhaul a 13-point deficit from Wednesday's first leg at Wimborne Road.

At one point Wright wheeled out of the pits for three consecutive rides, as Robins employed the rider replacement facility for fractured-wrist victim Troy Batchelor.

After scoring just four points down in Dorset on Wednesday, Wright felt he owed his teammates a big performance.

He said: "We took it all the way to heat 15, but it's a shame we went out in the first round.

"At least we put up a fight though. I felt after my four points over there, I had to do something tonight.

"I didn't pay too much attention to the scoreboard, I just wanted to win my races.

"We all pulled together, but it's hard without Troy. I think that's what killed us over the two legs."

Trailing badly after the first leg, Robins knew they had to make a flying start to stand any chance of progressing.

After five heats Poole led 16-14 - 69-54 on aggregate - and there was no sign of the drama to follow.

Robins edged ahead for the first time on the night in heat six, Leigh Adams nursing Seb Alden home for a welcome 5-1.

Mads Korneliussen then notched his second heat win in seven, but Manuel Hauzinger could only hobble home fourth despite another all-action ride around the Abbey shale.

Wright kept the Robins ahead with another victory in heat eight, but Alden blew up on the final lap as Poole cruised to a share of the spoils.

The next two heats were also shared, and a Chris Holder-inspired 4-2 in heat 11 looked to have put the tie beyond the home side.

But when Jordan Frampton's spectacular third lap spillage caused heat 12 to be controversially re-run, the home crowd sensed the tide was turning.

Pedersen had led the original race after three laps, but referee Margaret Vardy ordered a re-run.

The Poole captain gated first but Wright flew past him on the second lap, and Korneliussen swept inside his fellow Dane on the final bend for a thrilling Robins 5-1.

And Swindon came roaring back to life in heat 13, Wright and Adams producing another maximum to reduce the aggregate arrears to 83-88.

Robins almost claimed another 5-1 in the penultimate heat, McGowan winning from Adam Skornicki with an exhausted Wright third in his third consecutive ride.

That left Swindon trailing by just three points heading the final heat, needing another maximum to pull off a remarkable comeback win.

Adams led from tapes-to-flag, but Korneliussen ran wide on the opening bend and could only limp home fourth. Pedersen punched the air as he crossed the finish line, thrilled to have clung onto victory by his fingernails.

As for man-of-the-match Wright, there was no rest for the wicked.

He packed his bags for Arena Essex, where he will be guesting for Lakeside in tonight's Knockout Cup match against Peterborough.