ALUN Rossiter was happy to settle for a losing point as a spirited fightback saw the Swindon Robins finish just four points shy of Belle Vue Aces last night.

Swindon were on the receiving end of five maximums scores from the home side but with captain Troy Batchelor refusing to back down as he notched up a storming 17, the Robins managed to cut the losing gap.

The Robins still ended their regular season with defeat at the hands the second-bottom Aces but with Rossiter's men likely to make it into the Elite League play-offs, the Swindon chief wasn't too disappointed to see his team beaten in the North West.

“It was a bit of a nightmare of a start,” he said.

“Everything that could have gone wrong; Peter (Kildemand) losing his chain at the start and Steve Worrall falling off twice, not just once but in the same place time. But he redeemed himself at the end with a good win over his brother.

“I was a little bit nervous, thinking 'what's going on' but in the end, I was quite pleased.

“It was a good performance by the boys in the end and we've pulled it together.

“I thought we showed good character and I thought it was okay.”

The Robins got off to a dismal start in Manchester, with sparks flying as Kildemand lost his chain as the first tapes of the evening were raised, leaving sparks flying and the Swindon man grounded.

The Dane was forced into an early retirement and despite Morris' best efforts, the Swindon rider couldn't prevent Matej Zagar and Max Fricke bringing home a maximum for Belle Vue.

Things showed no signs of improving in heat two as Greaves attempted to charge past Oliver Greenwood midway through the first lap and slammed into the side of the Aces man, and was subsequently disqualified.

Morris was handed the thankless task of taking on Greenwood and Lee Payne all on his own and despite valiantly battling into second place, the Swindon man span out midway through the heat.

Despite being allowed to get back onto his bike, the Robins rider hit the dirt again and was forced to retire, with Belle Vue notching up all five points without reply.

Looking to buck the trend, captain Batchelor did his best to stem the tide in the third with a confident victory ahead of Scott Nicholls and Craig Cook but Gustafsson was well behind as the heat was drawn.

The action was cranked up a notch in heat four as Morris claimed Swindon's first win of the night.

The Robins rider became locked in an epic tussle with Richie Worrall and eventually passed his opponent in the final lap to take the chequered flag. Whilst the Aces man's brother Steve brought home another point for the visitors as he won his own personal war of attrition with Greenwood.

But the theme of the meeting showed no signs of slowing in heat five, with Belle Vue romping to their third 5-1 of the night.

Gustafsson was nowhere near the leading pack whilst North also couldn't keep up with Cook and Zagar as the Aces notched up a comfortable victory.

Boss Rossiter was forced to turn to the tactical ride in a bid to buck the trend and skipper Batchelor stepped up to bring home the goods in heat six.

An assured ride from the Robins star saw him escape a frantic early pack to notch up six points for his team but his counterpart Nicholls made his way past Kildemand to cap some of the damage.

Swindon managed to pull off another heat win in the seventh but a dramatic victory for North almost came at heavy price.

As Fricke crashed out in the final lap, the Robins number four was allowed to complete his triumph over Payne, but the Australian was forced to swerve out of the way of Fricke's bike and tumbled into the barriers.

After pulling a wheelie at the start of heat eight, Morris span out to allow Richie Worrall and Nicholls to bring in another maximum but Steve Worrall helped hit back as he took the victory in the ninth.

Then, in heat ten, Batchelor and Gustafsson helped the Robins roar back, with the latter sublimely holding off the relentless Zagar to help Swindon cut the gap to just two points.

But Belle Vue hit back, with Nicholls and Cook notching up yet another 5-1 as North was forced to retire after bumping in to the back of the Aces captain.

Swindon couldn't claw back the gap as heat 12 was drawn before Zagar confidently held off Batchelor in heat 13 but a scorching 5-1 from Steve Worrall, who was switched in for Greaves, and North in the penultimate heat put Swindon set up a tense finish.

Batchelor starred with a storming victory in the final heat but North was unable to catch Nicholls and Cook.