SWINDON Robins defied all expectations to secure a dramatic victory at home to reigning champions Wolverhampton Wolves in the SGB Premiership tonight.

Team manager Alun Rossiter was robbed of his two star riders at the Abbey Stadium, with Australian duo Jason Doyle and Nick Morris sidelined through injury, while Dany Gappmaier was another late withdrawal because of illness.

Rossiter was able to draft in former Swindon skipper Troy Batchelor as a guest, as well as Aussie youngster Brady Kurtz, but it still left an inexperienced Robins line-up to take on a strong looking Wolves side.

However, the home side produced a performance that belied all their pre-meeting problems to make it back-to-back home wins, leaving Rossiter plenty to ponder after previously threatening to make changes to his side.

“I have to be honest, I am shocked. I honestly never saw that coming against the team Wolves put out but I just have to give full credit to our boys. They were all outstanding, everybody did their bit,” said Rossiter.

“I don’t think anybody saw that coming. I never thought we could win, if I am honest. I thought if we could get 42 points, that would be a good result. Muhammad went to the mountain today.

“Of course it’s given me food for thought but it’s alright doing it for one meeting, I need them to do it consistently.

“It’s down to them, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. I can only do so much.

“Certain riders need to get to grips with their machinery but if they can sort that out and keep doing what they did tonight, then it does make it difficult.”

After a blistering start to the meeting which saw them pull 10 points clear after nine heats, Swindon supporters were put through the wringer in a dramatic conclusion.

Wolves gradually chipped away at the lead before the controversial disqualification of Bradley Wilson-Dean in the penultimate race by referee Christine Turnbull for felling Nathan Greaves meant the advantage was only three going into the finale.

However, Batchelor delivered the second place his side required to seal the victory and cap an 11-point personal haul. Captain for the night David Bellego also hit double figures with 10, with Adam Ellis doing likewise on 10+1 Rossiter added: “It was a little bit disappointing with the referee at the end. I find her one of the best referees around but I don’t see how she can make a decision like that. Bradley never touched him, he just scared him.

“Troy did a fantastic job. Troy’s had a lot of stick in the past and I’d like to think he’s paid a little bit back to the people who always dish it out to him.”

The home side got off to a sensational start with a 5-1 maximum in the first heat. Batchelor muscled his way to the front with Ellis following behind, and the Robins youngster brilliantly fended off Wolverhampton number one Freddie Lindgren until the flag.

Guest riders made it two wins from two races in the next as Wolves reserve Paul Starke sped home, although Ellis and Zach Wajtknecht at least shared the points.

Stand-in Swindon skipper Bellego won a shared third before the hosts continued to impress with another maximum in the fourth. Guest Kurtz blitzed to the front, with Wajtknecht bravely squeezing out Sam Masters for second place.

Wolves immediately hit back with their first 5-1 in Heat Five. Danny King and Bellego duelled during the first two bends, with the Wolves guest edging clear, but Lindgren suddenly swept past both to set up a maximum for his side to make the score 17-13 to Swindon overall.

Batchelor continued his belting form to win a shared heat in the next, while Kurtz could not quite live with the pace of Thorssell as Wolves took a heat advantage in race seven.

An unlikely but superb result was then delivered in the next as the Robins riders battled at the front. Wajtknecht edged clear initially but Wilson-Dean swooped by to make it three Swindon maximums in eight races.

There was a sense of déjà vu to in Heat Nine as the Robins produced another stunning pair of rides. Masters was out front but Bellego pushed his way past, with Wilson-Dean following him through in brilliant fashion.

The visitors’ gamble to send Thorssell out on a tactical ride in race 10 did not pay off, thanks to the bravery of Ellis. Schlein got the best start and initially had Thorssell behind but Ellis pulled off a fine move to limit the damage to a 5-2 reverse as the hosts led 34-27.

Ellis looked like having another brilliant race in the next as he pulled clear of Lindgren but the Wolves ace got by on the penultimate lap to secure a heat advantage.

Bellego produced another stunning solo effort in race 12 to take a third win, holding off Schlein pretty much from tapes to flag.

No one was stopping Batchelor in Heat 13 as he romped clear for a third win of his own and the points were shared to keep Swindon in control overall.

There was huge drama in the penultimate race, not least because it took four goes to finally get a winner. After two unsatisfactory starts, Wilson-Dean was deemed to have caused Greaves to fall, with the Kiwi excluded.

That left Ellis to go it alone and he could not live with Thorssell but was also helped by a fall from Greaves, handing the Swindon man a crucial second place to put his side three points clear going into the finale.

The pressure was on the hosts but Batchelor did just enough to take the second place he needed behind Thorssell to secure a nervy win for the Robins.