Rossiter frustrated by cruel twist of fate

But circumstance is a cruel mistress and Rossiter’s men were handed a harsh lesson in the part luck plays in speedway after a cruel twist of fate in the final heat of the evening saw them slip to an agonising last-gasp defeat at the Belle Vue Aces.

Troy Batchelor and Peter Kildemand had looked to have done enough to secure a 3-3 draw and victory for the visitors but after the latter’s steel shoe came off, causing his team-mate to employ evasive action, the Aces’ Matej Zagar scorched past both Robins riders and drove his side to a dramatic 46-44 win at the death.

“That’s the frustration. That’s speedway. That’s racing,” said Rossiter.

“Somebody could have fallen off, somebody could have given us a point; you’ve just got to take the rough with the smooth sometimes and that was a bit rough in the end I suppose.

“I am slightly frustrated but there’s lots of positives. They’re a good side and they’ve got the right set-ups and that.

“I’ll take that, with a hint of a frustration.

“It’s just a bit unfortunate that Peter lost his steel shoe in the last race.

“I think a few people would be happy that we’ve come away with a point at the start but when you’re in that position and holding it, it’s a little bit frustrating.

“But hey, I can’t be disappointed but it’s just tinged a bit, you know? It’s hard to chew but I shouldn’t be too disappointed to be fair.

“We knew there’d be a couple of hiccups and things like that.

“What’s to be, is to be isn’t it? You have your luck and you have your bad luck and you’ve got to take it.”

After the two teams traded blows early on, with Stefan Nielsen’s fall preventing him from bringing home a likely maximum for the Aces in heat two, Swindon’s Nick Morris and Batchelor stormed to the first 5-1 scoreline of the evening in the next race, besting Scott Nicholls and Josh Grajczonek in emphatic style.

Grzegorz Zengota looked set to deal Belle Vue body blow in heat four as he quickly opened up an unassailable advantage but the Robins rider was quickly brought back to earth with a bang as he lost control and careered into the barriers.

But the pendulum swung back Swindon’s way in heat six as the dynamic duo of Batchelor and Kildemand cruised to a stunning yet seemingly effortless maximum triumph.

A 4-2 win in heat eight saw the hosts bring themselves back within touching distance and the visitors’ challenge then began to falter in heats nine and ten.

First, Max Fricke and former Robins Steve Worrall got the jump on Zengota and Charles Wright and when the latter caught an opponent attempting to steal in down the outside, the Robins reserve caused an almighty crash, with Belle Vue awarded the maximum.

A second 5-1 followed as Nicholls and Grajczonek shut down Kildemand and Kyle Howarth, barely conceding an inch as they carved out a six-point lead for the home team.

But Worrall’s fine evening ended on a downer as he came off his bike in heat 12 and that left Wright to win a thrilling battle with Nielsen to help chip away at the deficit.

With three heats to go, the gap was four points and when Kildemand and Batchelor combined to hold off Nicholls, with Zagar retiring early on, a third Robins 5-1 of the night made it 39-39.

It was squeaky bum time and in the penultimate race of the night, Morris and Wright came to the fore and combined to seal a 4-2 win over Grajczonek and Chris Cook to ensure that the advantage was once again in the hands of the visitors.

Abbey Stadium chief Rossiter turned to his trusted duo of Kildemand and captain Batchelor in the decisive final heat but an extraordinary ride from Zagar saw Belle Vue snatch victory in dramatic style.

With Nicholls uncatchable, the Swindon duo looked in control of second and third place but the Aces rider went hell for leather in the final lap and after Kildemand’s unfortunate shoe mishap offered the Slovenian an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, he slipped past both Robins men to clinch second place, a last-gasp maximum and victory for the home side.