WITH a silver World Cup medal strewn around his neck, Alun Rossiter hoped that he had made his hometown proud by guiding Great Britain to a slice of history.

As Poland were crowned the new world champions at the National Speedway Stadium in Belle Vue, Manchester, Swindon Robins boss Rossiter, in his role as GB team manager, led the hosts to their first World Cup podium finish for 10 years in Saturday’s final – and it looked all too unlikely as the British quartet trailed the leaders by 10 points with nine heats to go.

But Rossiter put all his eggs in a Tai Woffinden-shaped basket in heat 12, sending out the reigning Grand Prix champion as a tactical substitute and a joker ride and the move paid off, with the GB superstar claiming double points.

Woffinden would go on to score a stunning 19 points whilst Danny King and Craig Cook also claimed heat victories as the hosts usurped 2015 winners Sweden and clinched second-place.

Jason Doyle and fellow Swindon rider Josh Grajczonek, who was brought in at the last minute to replace the injured Max Fricke, couldn’t prevent Australia from finishing fourth but for Rossiter, who has won the Elite League title with the Robins and Coventry Bees, Saturday’s international showpiece provided another unforgettable moment.

“It’s got to be up with winning the league with Swindon,” a triumphant Rossiter told the Advertiser.

“Being the national manager and having 10 years of nothing; it’s pretty special. Winning the league with Swindon is still pretty special and sits there very high, but I like to think that I’ve brought something to the town.

“If I’m honest, I never expected a silver medal. Hopefully, I’m going to keep it – it’s pretty special and I’ve never had one of these before.

“I’m hoping to go one better sometime but let’s just take one step at a time. Let’s just enjoy this and then think about a gold medal another day.

“It was looking a bit ominous when we were dropping away a bit but when I made that move with Tai, it worked out well.

“To be fair, I’ve been pretty calm all week but in the last few rounds, I could feel my heart start racing a little bit and I started to think a medal was possible.

“Tai was outstanding and Danny King, Craig Cook, Robert Lambert; they all rode their hearts out. Robert only got three but his points got us second-place.

“It’s amazing – absolutely amazing.”

Meanwhile, Australia’s hopes seemingly faded when, in heat 16, Doyle, who was handed the joker and the chance for double points, was adjudged to have caused Poland’s Piotr Pawlicki to fall and was excluded for his troubles.