SWINDON Robins kept their chase for a place in the SGB Premiership play-offs alive going into their final meeting with a hard-fought win at home to Poole Pirates last night.

The Robins got the better of a nip-and-tuck affair which remained in the balance right until the very last race at the Abbey Stadium, where home number one Troy Batchelor took the chequered flag to keep his sides hopes of a top-four finish alive.

Although Alun Rossiter’s side remain outsiders to achieve that, at least they have given themselves a chance heading into next Thursday’s final regular season fixture at home to Belle Vue Aces.

David Bellego was the star of the show, winning three races on his way to a total to 10 points, with the Frenchman the only rider on either side to hit double figures on the night.

Yet they got off to the worst possible start as the Pirates claimed a maximum win in the opening race of the night.

Poole’s Josh Grajczonek and Robins number one Batchelor duelled out of the gate but the visiting rider forced his rival wide into bend three, allowing Brady Kurtz to sneak by and claim second place.

The Robins’ guest reserve Tom Brennan then turned in a piece of brilliance as the hosts hit back with the perfect response.

Zach Wajtknecht made the gate and Brennan went wide to slot in behind before bravely fending off the Pirates pair to the chequered flag to secure Swindon a 5-1 of their own.

It was honours even in race three as Tobiasz Musielak triumphed for Swindon, although it could have been so much better but for bike trouble for Adam Ellis after he dropped from first to last after speeding from the start line.

Poole then claimed a second maximum in the opening four races as Chris Harris led home Frederik Jakobsen, punishing a sloppy start from Swindon skipper Nick Morris.

A wonderful start from Ellis saw him take a tapes-to-flag win in race five but it was only good enough for a shared heat as Swindon’s deficit was 17-13.

Kurtz and Grajczonek squeezed out Musielak coming out of bend two and despite a brave chase, he could not get overhaul them.

The Robins promptly took a heat advantage in the next as Bellego triumphed after getting the better of an early battle with Harris.

The Frenchman also looked to helped team-mate Batchelor through for second on lap three after forcing Harris wide his rival wide, but the Pirates man was able to nip back by.

Morris fended off Nicolai Klindt to take the chequered flag for Swindon in race seven to make it three home wins in a row, although Richie Worrall got the better of Wajtknecht for third as the points were shared.

Bellego continued the hosts’ winning run in race eight, with the Frenchman only third to start with but a burst of speed down the back straight saw him sneak by Jakobsen before romping clear.

Swindon then got themselves in front overall for the night time on the night after a stunning 5-1 in heat nine.

Musielak and Ellis burst out of the traps, with the Pole nudging to the front and the duo then produced a beautiful team ride to deny Harris any chance of a pass.

By now, the Robins riders were really in the groove and Bellego muscled his way to the front early on in the 10th to make it six Swindon wins in a row – a run that saw them move 33-27 in front overall.

An exclusion for Morris after a fall left Brennan to go it alone in the re-run of race 11, and the Robins guest stood no chance of denying Poole a 5-1 as Kurtz and Grajczonek left him trailing.

An excellent move from Ellis denied Poole a maximum in the next contest as the visitors gated on a 5-1 but the Robins man was able to slip between winner Jakobsen and Worrall, although the heat advantage was enough for the Pirates to level the overall scores.

Swindon’s top two riders of Batchelor and Morris then delivered when their team needed it most, nailing a superb 5-1.

The Australian pair were brave in the charge off the line to nab the top two places before shutting out Harris’ relentless attempts to pass.

The penultimate race was bizarrely run with just two riders after crashes for Jakobsen and then Musielak, with Poole’s Klindt comfortably getting the better of Wajtknecht.

There was to be no late drama, though, as a lightning start from Batchelor fired him to the front to calm the Robins’ nerves and he roared for an easy win and keep their chase for the play-offs alive going into their final meeting.

SWINDON ROBINS 47 POOLE PIRATES 42

SWINDON: Troy Batchelor 9 (1-1-1-3-3), David Bellego 10 (0-3-3-3-1), Adam Ellis 7+1 (0-3-2’-2), Tobiasz Musielak 6 (3-0-3-FX), Nick Morris 6+1 (1-3-FX-2’), Zach Wajtknecht 6 (3-0-1-0-2), Tom Brennan (G) 3+1 (2’-0-1).

POOLE: Brady Kurtz 9+1 (2’-2-3-0-2), Josh Grajczonek 6+2 (3-1’-0-2’), Richie Worrall 6+1 (2-1’-2-1), Nicoali Klindt 6+1 (1’-2-0-3-0), Chris Harris 7 (3-2-1-1), Kacper Woryna 1 (1-0-0), Frederik Jakobsen 7+1 (0-2’-2-3-FX).