SWINDON Robins only have to do what they have done all season to secure the SGB Premiership title – avoid defeat at home.

The Robins trounced Ritchie Hawkins’ Ipswich Witches 41-49 at Foxhall Stadium on Tuesday to all but secure British speedway’s most prestigious honour ahead of Thursday’s second leg at the Abbey.

Alun Rossiter’s exceptional Robins have won 12 of their 13 Premiership home meetings this season – drawing the other when Poole visited for the new track’s grand opening in April.

Dozens of supporters adorned the back straight at a silenced Foxhall Stadium in orange and white as Polish favourite Tobiasz Musielak raced to a remarkable 12+1 return from five rides while skipper Jason Doyle weighed in with 11.

Of course, Rossiter knows all too well losing a grand final home leg by no means rules a team out of Premiership glory.

Only two years ago, Swindon themselves lost the play-off final first leg at home before reversing their advantage to beat Pete Adams’ Wolves at Monmore Green by a point on aggregate. That aside, Robins’ performance merited a league/cup double – something the club has never achieved in its 70-year history.

Rossiter tracked a full-strength side for the grand final first leg, Jason Doyle led the charge with fans’ favourites Tobiasz Musielak, Rasmus Jensen and Ellis Perks also starting.

Adam Ellis, Troy Batchelor and reserve Claus Vissing completed the line-up.

Witches had every right to feel aggrieved after heat one.

Controversially, Robins skipper Doyle made no effort to clear the track after falling on the first bend of lap one when clipping the inside kerb while Ritchie Hawkins’ top pair held a 5-1.

Typically, Ellis – who missed the start in the heat’s first staging – won the re-run to share the points.

The meeting’s shared theme continued up until the first track grade. Witches’ Allen won the reserves race following a tussle with Perks before Robins’ Musielak and Batchelor won heats three and four at a canter.

After a tame start, the meeting sparked into life during heat five.

First, Ellis hit the deck amid his battle to pass the gutsy Harris during lap three while Doyle held a comfortable lead – the Ringwood-based former Witch was excluded.

Then, Doyle fell in similar circumstances in the re-run when attempting to round Lawson in the first turn – this time all riders were invited back to tapes.

It proved third time lucky for Swindon’s Aussie favourite, he won race five from Harris and Lawson as the score remained level at 15-15.

The deadlock was broken at last in heat six – Heeps and Iversen out trapped Batchelor and Perks to open up a four-point advantage.

But Witches’ moment of glory vanished immediately when Jensen and Musielak registered Robins’ first maximum a race later.

A shared heat eight was proceeded by Witches’ second maximum of the night, this time Lawson and Harris paired up to better Perks and Batchelor.

Play-off specialist Harris – a former title winner with Coventry and Poole – lacked speed on 22-year-old Perks, but his track graft proved vital as Witches re-established their four-point lead.

Cameron Heeps’ exclusion in heat 10 opened the door for a second Robins fightback in the re-run. And that’s exactly what happened.

Musielak made a flier from the favourable gate four before Jensen followed the Polish star to level the scores with five heats remaining.

It got worse for the hosts when Ellis superbly passed Allen to join Doyle in front for a third Robins maximum of the night – handing Rossiter’s side a four-point advantage with four heats remaining.

Tobiasz Musielak’s fine form extended to heat 12. The Pole – an inspired signing two seasons ago – comfortably won from Lawson.

But Perks brilliant battled past three-times British Champion Harris to pick up a vital third place.

Witches’ 4-2 in heat 13 was cancelled out a race later when Dane Jensen won his second race of the night.

Jason Doyle rounded off Robins’ free-scoring second half performance to wrap up a convincing eight-point win.

Ipswich Witches = 41 

1. Niels Kristian Iversen - 1', 2', 1, 3, 2
2. Cameron Heeps - 2, 3, 1', X
3. Chris Harris - 2, 2, 2', 0
4. Richard Lawson - 1', 1', 3, 2, 0
5. Danny King - 2, 1, 0, 1
6. James Sarjeant - 0, 0, (JA - 1), 0
7. Jake Allen - 3, 1', 2, 1, 2

Swindon Robins = 49 

1. Jason Doyle - F/X, 3, 3, 2, 3
2. Adam Ellis - 3, F/X, 3, 2'
3. Tobiasz Musielak - 3, 2', 3, 3, 1
4. Rasmus Jensen - 0, 3, 2', 3
5. Troy Batchelor - 3, 1, 0, 0
6. Ellis Perks - 2, 0, 1, 1, 1
7. Claus Vissing - 1', 0, 0, (EP - 1)