Team boss Alun Rossiter blames the track as stuttering Swindon Robins are beaten at home

Recent wet weather made for unfamiliar conditions at Blunsdon, with the home riders affected the most as they were made to pay for a second slow start to a fixture in two days.

The Robins were left in the traps during a 50-42 loss at Leicester Lions on Wednesday night and they were slow out of the gates again at the Abbey, trailing Wolves by 14 points at the midway point.

Although the hosts rallied as the meet went on, it was not enough to prevent a first home defeat of the season for Rossiter’s side.

Reserve Charles Wright provided the highlight for the Robins, taking three heat wins and 15+2 points from seven rides, while skipper Jason Doyle also posted 14, although overall, it was a night to forget for Rossiter.

“The track cost us tonight. We have had some torrential downpours and it caused problems going into the corners, everybody was going all over the shop,” said Rossiter.

“As usual, it always affects the home team because you ride on your home track thinking you have got home advantage but we never had any.

“Unfortunately, our boys dropped their heads. I tried raising them but there is only so much you can do, some of them were struggling to get round. The track looked fine at the start but for some strange reason it cut up, I really don’t know why.

“It went against us, as it always does when you’re the home team because you are expecting home advantage and we lost all that tonight.

“When the track came back to itself, we were fine, but we certainly need to iron those problems out.

“Charles always attacks it when it is a bit uneven. He gets stuck in and that’s why I put him out there and we got a great return from him.

“The team will be fine, we just need more time. We are going to have come back hungry next week.

“Last night (defeat at Leicester) wasn’t a factor. Tonight the track beat us, it’s a simple as that.”