SWINDON Robins’ play-off hopes were dealt a severe blow as they fell to a 22-point defeat away to Coventry Bees.

The hosts secured a 56-34 victory at Brandon as they took the lead in heat four and didn’t look back.

Robins skipper Jason Doyle was the only one of the visitors to make it into double figures as they struggled to get going.

Swindon brought in Tom Perry to guest in place of Stefan Nielsen, who was still nursing a hand injury, but the reserve struggled on the night.

The meeting got underway at the second time of asking after Jason Garrity broke the tapes in heat one and was replaced by James Sarjeant.

Rohan Tungate made a great start and fellow Aussie Jason Doyle wasn't far behind into the first bend as he has to hold off Krzysztof Kasprzak out of bend two.

Doyle took over the lead, with Tungate then having to hold off the Pole to claim a maximum for the visitors.

It was another restart in heat two, with Charles Wright hitting the front early but Perry was pushed wide and fell to the back.

However, Josh Bates took Wright towards the end of the first lap to take the heat win.

In heat three, Josh Grajczonek got to the first bend leading and had enough drive to stay ahead of Danny King before being taken by the Brit at bend four.

Nick Morris was unable to take advantage of Chris Harris' mistake out of bend two on the final lap as he finished last.

Perry’s poor start continued as he was adjudged to have touched the tapes at the start of heat four and was forced to go off a 15m penalty.

Sarjeant started well at the re-start, with Justin Sedgmen just behind him before Kacper Woryna pulled off a great move going underneath both to take the lead out of bend two and claim the maximum.

Tungate was in fine form for Swindon and got away well in heat five to take the lead and despite Garrity getting out of shape in bends one and three, Wright couldn't find a way past.

Doyle with the inside line in heat six lead out of bend two but King bit back to lead down the home straight and held on for the win, with the Robins skipper losing his steel shoe.

Both Swindon riders got a poor start in heat seven and the Bees duo capitalised with Kasprzak leading Harris all the way to open up a 10 point lead.

Swindon tried to respond immediately as they handed the tactical ride to Tungate in heat eight.

However, any chance of the Robins getting back into it went up in smoke when the Aussie took out his own team-mate on the final lap.

The race was awarded to Woryna, with Sarjeant claiming second, after Tungate, who was on a 15m penalty for touching the tapes, got frustrated behind the Swindon reserve and attempted a move on bend one but collected Wright with his back wheel out of the second bend.

Bees continued to press home their advantage with another maximum in heat nine.

Garrity started well and cut across everyone into bend one from gate four, just holding onto his bike out of two, to take the win.

Bates took Sedgmen on the penultimate lap with a fine move to follow his team-mate home.

The start of heat 10 was red flagged when Doyle and Harris got too close into bend one and the Bees skipper went into the air fence and was lucky to walk away after going under the air fence.

Tungate was keen to make up for his earlier misdemeanour at the re-start and led home Doyle for a maximum for the visitors.

Garrity got a jump on the rest of the field in heat 11 and Kasprzak completed a fine move on Morris on the second lap to slam the door shut on Swindon.

It was another good start from gate four in heat 12, this time it was Bates who was followed by the two Robins of Wright and Perry, however, Sarjeant took Perry on penultimate lap to keep the guest scoreless.

Doyle gated beautifully in heat 13 and took the lead out of bend two, but Grajczonek was squeezed out by the two Bees riders of Kasprzak and Harris for a share of the points.

Morris finally got his first win of the meeting in the penultimate race at Brandon after leading from the start and was fortunate not to be taken out by the Coventry riders on the second lap.

Doyle got the start in heat 15 but Bates got great grip out of bend two to come up the inside on the back-straight to claim the win and wrap up the 22-point victory.

COVENTRY BEES 56: Krzysztof Kasprzak (1,3,2’,2) 8+1, Jason Garrity (1’,3,3) 7+1, Danny King (3,3,0,2) 8, Kacper Woryna (3,1,3,1’,1) 9+1, Chris Harris (1,2’,1,1’) 5+2, Josh Bates (3,2,2’,3,3) 13+1, James Sarjeant (0,1,2’,2’,1) 6+1

SWINDON ROBINS 34: Jason Doyle (3,2,2’,3,2) 12+1, Rohan Tungate (2’,3,FX^,3,0) 8+1, Nick Morris (0,0,1,3) 4, Justin Sedgmen (1,1,1,0) 3, Josh Grajczonek (2,0,0,0) 2, Charles Wright (2,0,1,0,2) 5, Tom Perry (0,0,0) 0