DESPITE the frustration of seeing his team’s season-opening double-header curtailed by the elements, Alun Rossiter is taking heart in the fact that his Swindon Robins will still start their campaign against reigning champions Poole Pirates.

The Robins were geared up for two meetings against last season’s Elite League winners on Good Friday, with their first clash set to take place down in Dorset at 11am before the two teams renewed hostilities for a second time at the Abbey Stadium at 7.30pm.

But the morning’s first showdown at the Pirates’ Wimborne Road track was cancelled at around 9am and the wet weather continued to lock proceedings in a stranglehold, with the evening’s home meeting postponed around an hour before tapes up, despite the best efforts of the staff at Blunsdon.

Rossiter and his troops can instead look forward to taking on Poole at home at the tail-end of the Easter weekend - Easter Monday at 4.30pm – and the Swindon boss has his fingers crossed that the rain will stay away.

“I’ve never had two meetings called off in one day – it’s very frustrating,” said Rossiter.

“After this morning, things didn’t look so bad and we were convinced that the weather was going to miss us but at about six, the heavens just opened.

“There was no way that we could waste the fans’ time by trying to start, so we had to call it off.

“It’s tough, but at least we’ve got Monday at 4.30. We’ve checked all the riders’ availabilities and both teams will be at full-strength, so we just look forward to that one now.

“We want to start against Poole because they’re our local and nearest rivals. You’re always controlled by the weather but hopefully we’ll be alright for Monday.”

Swindon’s trip to the Pirates at Wimborne Road has been rearranged for Wednesday, July 29.

Today's scheduled home meeting at the Abbey Stadium was also set to include a minute’s applause for former England captain Nigel Boocock, who passed away at the age of 77 in Australia on Friday morning.

Elsewhere in the Elite League, clashes between the Belle Vue Aces and Wolverhampton Wolves, and Coventry Bees and Leicester Lions, were both rained off.

But the Lakeside Hammers got themselves up and running with a 51-39 victory at home to the King’s Lynn Stars.