SWINDON Robins suffered a brutal defeat in Essex as their injury hit side failed to get going against a dominant Lakeside Hammers.

The hosts recorded eight maximums with Mikkel Bech (12+2) and skipper Andreas Jonsson (12+1) top scoring for the hosts in a 62-28 win.

It was another patched up Swindon Robins side who travelled to Essex with Scott Nicholls, Max Fricke, Ben Morley and Josh Bates all coming into the side and Alun Rossiter was forced to have a rider replacement for injured skipper Troy Batchelor.

It was a bad start for the Robins as the hosts racked up three consecutive maximums.

In the first heat Fricke was first into the first corner well but he had a wobble and Nilsson went underneath him before Jonsson stormed into second down the outside.

In heat two it was Ellis who got into the first corner well but Birks went around the outside to take the lead.

Morley went down in the first corner of the second lap with Bates finishing well behind.

The outside line around the first corner seemed to be the one to be on as Bech went around the outside in heat three to take the lead from Morris.

Lawson overtook Morris on the second lap to make it a third consecutive maximum for the hosts.

Heat four was a fiercely contested race but Kennett did enough in the first lap to hold off Zengota, who pushed the leader all the way.

Bates, who had a brief stint in front on the back straight had to settle for third with Birks retiring.

After a long pause for a faulty floodlight racing resumed in heat five and it was a similar story for the Robins.

Fricke went down the inside into the corner but Nilsson was there around the outside.

A mistake from Fricke in the first corner of the second lap allowed Ellis through and on the same corner Morley loses control and is well behind.

Fricke was able to take second spot back to reduce the deficit but it was still another heat loss for the visitors.

In heat six the tactical was killed as Kennett got a great start and was comfortably in the lead around the first corner, followed by teammate Bech, with Nicholls and Morris bringing up the rear.

Jonsson got the best start in heat seven as he went deep into the first corner and got the better drive out to get ahead of Morris.

 On the back straight Lawson and Morris narrowly avoided contact, with the Hammers rider taking the advantage going into the second lap.

Morris though came back to claim second spot with Zengota going down on the final lap.

It was too easy for Kennett in heat eight as he continued his fine form for the evening.

Fricke settled in behind after the first corner, with Morley sat behind his colleague.

Ellis, who was a late call-up after Birks was disqualified for not getting to the tapes in time, pulled up before the end.

Both Swindon riders look to have the perfect start in heat nine but Ellis was able to sneak underneath them out of the first corner.

Nilsson came down the outside to take the lead on the back straight but Zengota overtook Ellis in the second corner to take two points.

Nicholls used all his experience in heat 10 to take the win.

He kept Bech outside him on the first corner and closed the door on him going into the second corner.

It should have been a share of the points but Lawson beat Fricke to the line on the final lap.

Swindon recorded their first 5-1 of the night in heat courtesy of Nicholls and Morris.

Morris got a very good start to take the lead and Nicholls looked to have gone too deep into the corner but he recovered well to take second before going past Morris.

The two Hammers kept the Robins honest all the way in probably the best contested race of the night.

The hosts responded immediately though in the re-run of heat 12 after Bates took a fall in the first corner.

Morley gave it too much off the line and ended up popping a wheelie.

Ellis was first into the corner with Birks following up behind to make it a comfortable maximum.

The Hammers made it two maximums on the bounce as Lawson held the inside line in the first corner of heat 13 and allowed Jonsson to go around the outside to take the lead.

Nicholls and Fricke left trailing at the back.

In heat fourteen Kennett pushed Zengota wide and nearly into the barrier in the first corner, which allowed Bech to take the lead.

Morris took third with Zengota unable to recover from the first corner.

Zengota and Nicholls almost came together in the first corner of heat 15 to sum up a disappointing night in Essex for the Robins as the hosts finished how they started with a succession of maximums with Jonsson taking the three points ahead of Bech.

LAKESIDE: Andreas Jonsson (2*-3-1-3-3) 12+1, Kim Nilsson (3-3-3-0) 9, Mikkel Bech (3-2*-2-3-2*) 12+2, Edward Kennett (3-3-3-2*) 11+1, Richard Lawson (2*-1-1*-2*) 6+3, Adam Ellis (2*-1-R-1-3) 7+1, Ashley Birks (3-R-TX-2*) 5+1. 

SWINDON: Scott Nicholls (1-1-3-3-1-R) 9, Max Fricke (0-2-2-0-R) 4, Nick Morris (1-0-2-2*-0) 5+1, Grzegorz Zengota (0-2-F-2-1-) 6, R/R for Troy Batchelor (GZ 0 – NM 0 – SN 3 – MF R) 3, Ben Morley (0-R-1*-1) 2+1, Josh Bates (1-1-0-FX) 2.