SWINDON Robins made a big stride in their quest to secure a play-off spot as they swatted a patched up Coventry Bees side.

Another paid maximum for Darcy Ward alongside Troy Batchelor’s 12, paid 14, points secured the emphatic 55-36 victory.

Coventry were struggling from before the meeting as Hans Andersen was replaced by Grzegorz Walase ands Jason Garrity, suffering from a back injury, was replaced by Danny Ayres, and Stuart Robsonhad a replacement rider.

Swindon were far from full strength as Alun Rossiter replaced his reserve riders with James Wright and Rob Shuttleworth.

Ward got the visitors off the mark in heat one as he gated well to get ahead of Chris Harris into the first corner to lead from the front, as Aaron Summers supported him in third place.

Wright ensured the Robins won the first battle of the reserve riders as he got the inside line, with Ayres getting out of shape in the second bend to fall and limp home in last place, behind James Sarjeant and Shuttleworth.

The Aussie duo of Nick Morris and Troy Batchelor teamed up again to complete Swindon’s first maximum of the evening in heat three, with Danny King pushing Batchelor all the way.

In heat four Grzegorz Zengota forced Walasek wide on bends one and two to take the lead, with Shuttleworth beaten by Sarjeant for third place.

Summer gated well in heat five, but was taken by Ayres out of the second corner.

The Aussie fought back well and was able to pip Ayre to the line, with Sarjeant in third behind them.

Heat six was handed to Batchelor after King took a tumble into the barriers on the third bend of the penultimate lap.

Batchelor went around the outside to take the lead and Ward had to battle back from behind Walasek to secure the maximum.

With Coventry 12 points behind the hosts handed Harris the tactical ride and despite them closing a gap Morris ensured they couldn’t take all the points.

Kylmakorpi and Harris teamed up well at the start but Morris pushed Harris all the way and, despite the Fin slowing to try and let Harris through for the win at the line, the Aussie kept them both honest.

Summers flew out of the gate in heat eight to take the win, but was pushed all the way by Walasek for a share of the points.

Zengota gated well in heat nine, but Walasek got the drive out of bend two and just pipped the Pole into bend three to take the win, with Sarjeant falling at the back for another 3-3.

Summers looked to have gone too deep in bend one but recovered well for the lead ahead of Ward who supported him all the way for a third maximum of the night.

Swindon turned the screw in heat eleven when they followed up the maximum with a 5-0.

Sarjeant was slow off the line as Batchelor and Morris complete secured the lead coming out of bend two.

With Sarjeant pulling up, Harris flew into the air fence as he pushed his bike to the max on the penultimate lap.

Coventry responded with a maximum of their own in heat twelve as Sarjeant led home Ayres from the first bend.

Ward and Batchelor secured another maximum but the latter had to fight hard to keep Harris behind him to keep his paid maximum on track.

Despite the big lead, Swindon did not take their foot off the gas as they completed their sixth maximum of the night with Morris and Zengota leading Walasek and King home.

Morris out of the gates fast and is followed up nicely by Zengota to help record the sixth maximum of the evening.

Batchelor gated well in heat 15, but Harris showed a lot of pride to take the lead out of the second bend. Morris followed up Batchelor to take a share of the points and secure a 19 point win on the road.

COVENTRY BEES: Chris Harris (2,4^*,FX,1,3) 10+1, R/R, Danny King (1,FX,0,0) 1, Grzegorz Walasek (2,1,2,3,1,0) 9, Joonas Kylmakorpi (0,3,1,0) 4, Danny Ayres (0,0,2,2*) 4+1, James Sarjeant (2,1*,1*,1*,FX,FR,3) 8+3

SWINDON ROBINS: Darcy Ward (3,2*,2*,3) 10+2, Aaron Summers (1,3,3,3) 10, Nick Morris (3,1,2*,3,1*) 10+2, Grzegorz Zengota (3,0,2,2*) 7+1, Troy Batchelor (2*,3,3,2*,2) 12+2, James Wright (3,0,0,1*,0) 4+1, Rob Shuttleworth (1,0,0,1) 2.