‘CHAMPIONSHIPS are not won on the first day,’ says Swindon Robins manager Alun Rossiter as he prepares his side to face last year’s champions Poole Pirates for today’s double-header.

The Robins bring the tapes up on their season at Wimborne Road at 11am before packing up the vans and heading back to Swindon for tonight’s meet at the Abbey Stadium, which gets underway at 7.30pm.

Facing the reigning champs might strike fear into many but Rossiter is looking forward to pitting himself against the best to see just where his side are.

“Where some people may be a bit worried because we are going to Poole, I am happy to go down there,” said Rossiter. “I have no fear of Poole and I don’t think the team should have any fear either.

“I think it is good and we can get stuck into them, and I am confident our boys can do a job.

“I said to the boys that this is not the be-all and end-all. The league will not be won tomorrow.

“But how nice will it be to put a marker down to see where we are at?

“I don’t put teams together that I don’t think will do anything.

“I was a little bit cautious at the start when the team was coming together but as time has gone by and I have looked at it, I realise how good the team really is.”

Poole have had a disrupted preparation ahead of their season-opener, with skipper Davey Watt breaking his left foot and damaging ankle ligaments in a pairs meeting in Poland.

Josh Grajconek has stepped in as a temporary replacement but he is unavailable for the return meeting and King’s Lynn’s Rory Schlein will be guesting for him.

“They will have some places where they will be stronger. With Schlein coming in, it is swings and roundabouts,” added Rossiter, with Schlein scoring 13+1 in the Stars’ season opener against Lakeside Hammers on Tuesday night.

“They certainly look stronger with Rory Schlein the way he is racing at the moment.”

Rossiter will be keeping a close eye on the sky this morning as he hopes for a dry start to the season.