HEADED by a brilliant paid maximum (14+1 points) from super skipper Leigh Adams, Swindon defeated Eastbourne 48-42 in the Craven Shield at the Abbey Stadium on Thursday evening.
Led by an eloquent paid 15-point maximum from Leigh Adams, the Robins collected a 6-point victory against Eastbourne in an entertaining season opener at a nippy Blunsdon.
Those who braved the cold were treated to a scattering of good racing on a re-shaped race surface that provided passing opportunities on both inside and outside lines.
The Robins held the ascendancy throughout the meeting and did at one stage extend their advantage to 8 points and whilst a dogged Eastbourne were able to narrow the gap to 6 points, they never looked likely to launch a serious challenge for the lead.
Adams' majestic haul was well supported by his compatriot Troy Batchelor, who immediately endeared himself to the Blunsdon faithful with an entertainingly acquired paid 10 points.
Mads Korneliussen’s paid 9-point tally was obtained with plenty of trademark flair and determination, which brought ample cheer to the windswept terraces.
Elsewhere, James Wright and Travis McGowan enjoyed a successful night’s work, with the latter, in particular, seeming to make real progress after his much-documented shoulder surgery just a fortnight ago.
The reserve pairing of Theo Pijper and Seb Alden contributed paid 10 points, with both riders maintaining the pace of the front-runners throughout.
The highly-rated Eagles were well served by their powerhouse British pairing of Scott Nicholls and Lee Richardson, whilst an eye-catching performance from the rapidly improving Australian Cameron Woodward kept the visitors in contention throughout.
Adams and Korneliussen got the 2008 Blunsdon campaign underway in perfect style with a tremendously worked 5-1 that Eastbourne’s Nicholls had no answer for.
The early 4-point lead was halved by the Eagles in the ensuing race as James Brundle conjured a brilliant start to lead the chasing pack for the entirety whilst Seb Alden was unable to forge a route past Simon Gustafsson in third spot.
Batchelor sensationally defeated Richardson in heat three to ensure a points-share, before a further 3-3 followed in a heat four in which Alden engineered a breathtaking route inside Brundle exiting turn four on the final lap.
A third successive share of the points followed in a heat five that saw Batchelor and Bridger indulge in a fascinating duel for third place that eventually saw the Robins' new boy prevail.
Heat six saw Adams and Korneliussen replicate their earlier 5-1, but on this occasion the Robins were made to work considerably harder for the points by a persistent Edward Kennet, whose challenge was eventually stifled by some shrewd team riding from the Swindon skipper.
Woodward and Richardson gave the visiting support something to cheer in heat seven with a comprehensive tapes-to-flag 5-1 over McGowan and Pijper, before the Robins hit back with a body blow of their own with a ‘fiver’ from youngsters Batchelor and Wright in race nine.
Adams and Korneliussen combined for a 4-2 in heat ten to extend Swindon’s lead to 8 points, before Nicholls and Brider narrowed the gap to 6 points with a 4-2 in heat eleven.
An all-the-way victory for Richardson in race twelve ensured a 3-3, before a well executed first corner from Adams allowed him to romp to victory in a fast-paced heat thirteen.
Race fourteen was stopped in the interest of safety by meeting referee Mick Posselwhite after just three laps because of a concern with the pits bend air safety fence.
Woodward took the race victory in front of the Swindon pairing of Wright and Pijper, who were successfully keeping Brundle at bay at the time of the premature stoppage.
Swindon opted for the Australian pairing of Batchelor and Adams in heat fifteen and, after winning the toss for starting positions, chose gates one and three.
Both home riders missed the start and trailed exiting turn one for the first time, as the Eagles' duo of Nicholls and Richardson team rode heading down the back straight.
Cue a breathtaking burst of speed from Adams, who slipped in between the two visiting riders entering turn three, adopted the high line, and led by three bike lengths as they exited turn four.
The familiar Blunsdon roar engulfed the Abbey Stadium as Adams charged to victory and, in doing so, collected his first unbeaten score of the season.
It was the perfect way to start the sixtieth successive term of racing at the Abbey Stadium and went some way to silencing those who had seemingly written of the Robins' chances of silverware before the season got underway.
HEAT DETAILS BY ROBERT BAMFORD
MATCH REPORT BY CHRIS SEAWARD
