ALUN Rossiter was left to rue a tricky Lakeside Hammers track as the final nail was hit into Swindon Robins’ Elite League play-off coffin in humbling defeat during tonight’s crunch fixture.

With both sides seeking a result that would see them clinch the last spot in the end-of-season showdown, Swindon arrived at the Arena Essex Raceway for the final fixture of the campaign knowing that a defeat by six points or fewer would be enough to see them through.

However, they were ruthlessly swept aside by the rampant Hammers side, who matched the Robins’ haul of 47 league points but leapfrogged them into fourth place courtesy of a far superior points difference.

A lightning start saw Lakeside build up the seven-point cushion they needed inside the opening four races and they only served to increase that throughout the rest of the night as Swindon cracked under the pressure.

Swindon team manager Rossiter said: “I am bitterly disappointed. We were beaten by the better team but in saying that, the track was atrocious and I don’t think it was down to the weather.

“We came here last time and it was rough and we just didn’t adapt to it, it’s as simple as that. I know it is the same for both teams but even their guys were complaining.

“It was nothing to do with the weather but that’s the way it has been set up for them and so be it.

“You have got a guy in Jason Doyle, who is second in the world championship, struggling to get round and when he did pass somebody, he nearly took Scott Nicholls out.

“I am not going to take the shine off them, good luck to them, but it was close to dangerous tonight, especially the first corner.

“There’s no excuses, we were beaten by the track.”

It was honours even in heat one as guest Scott Nicholls claimed the win for the Hammers. Jason Doyle and Lewis Bridger bounced off each other into the first bend and although Swindon’s Justin Sedgmen got to the front, he could not stay there as Nicholls muscled by.

Lakeside then made it two from two, capitalising on a fall by Swindon reserve Stefan Nielsen into the first corner. Charles Wright was left with a tough job on his own and did well to edge out Lewis Kerr for second behind Ben Morley.

The home side made a decisive move in the next two heats as first Kim Nilsson and then Kerr led home consecutive maximum victories to put the Hammers 10 points to the good after only four heats.

The Robins looked for all the world like they would get a first win off the night when Sedgmen raced clear in heat five but it ended up as a real sickener as he was passed by Bridger on the finish line.

It took up until the sixth race of the night for Swindon to finally claim a win, although it was made trickier by the exclusion of Nick Morris. However, skipper Doyle responded brilliantly on a tactical to claim a stunning victory and cut a 12-point gap to nine.

However, that good work was swiftly undone in the next as disappointment began to seem ominous for the Robins, with Nilsson leading home Nicholls for an emphatic maximum for the home side.

Swindon’s fortunes on the night were seemingly summed up in heat eight. A flying start appeared to have them set up for a crucial maximum but Sedgmen suddenly fell from second place and although Wright took the win, the points ended up being shared.

Josh Grajczonek could not hold off Bridger in the next and Swindon’s fate looked all but sealed after 10 races when Lakeside claimed a fourth maximum. The Robins were not helped by a wobble from Doyle and Nilsson was able to take a straightforward victory to put the hosts 17 points to the good.

Just when looked like things could not get any worse, Nicholls and Bridger romped clear out of the gates to take an untroubled maximum in heat 11.

Swindon seemed on course for a max of their own in the next as Wright led Nielsen but Kerr was able to muscle his way between the pair on the final lap.

His team may have been struggling but Doyle showed the class that has him currently fighting for the world championship in heat 13 as he badgered Nicholls the whole way round and the Lakeside guest finally cracked on the third lap as the Swindon skipper sneaked by.

Once again, the Swindon cheers were short lived as Edward Kennett romped clear on the opening lap of the penultimate race and although Grajczonek tried to make a race of it with Richard Lawson behind, there was not enough room to force a pass.

A dominant ride from Doyle in the last took him to three wins from five but it did little t affect the overall outcome as the season ended in disappointment for the Robins.