Swindon’s adrenaline laced ‘Summer of Speed’ gathered yet more momentum as the Robins romped to a solid twelve point victory against reigning Elite League Champions the Coventry Bees.
On a night of sun drenched Abbey Stadium action, a large crowd witnessed an enthralling match up that was laced with breathtaking racing. Indeed, the final third of the meeting served up an array of brilliant entertainment on a race surface that had been superbly prepared by the hard working track staff.
Shortly before heat one, Swindon captain Leigh Adams was presented with a piece of commemorative glassware from Martin Ashby to celebrate Adams’ number one position in the club’s all time top scorers chart.
In the meeting itself, Alun Rossiter’s side held the ascendancy for the majority but turned the screw in the latter stages and concluded the night emphatically by notching up three consecutive heat advantages.
Double figure hauls came courtesy of Leigh Adams, Troy Batchelor and Jurica Pavlic, the latter deservedly scooped his second successive Abbey Stadium Man of the Match Award.
Meanwhile, Robins’ asset Richard Sweetman made his debut for the club as a replacement for Austrian reserve Manuel Hauzinger who missed the meeting after feeling the effects of an extremely heavy fall whilst riding in Hungary on Wednesday.
Sweetman conjured two points from his three rides and greatly impressed with some lightening fast starts in what was generally a very encouraging evening from the talented youngster.
However, it was Sweetman’s compatriot Troy Batchelor who really got tongues wagging though as the Queensland firebrand collected a tenaciously acquired twelve point score. The Swindon number five brilliantly inflicted defeat on both Hans Andersen and Chris Harris throughout the course of the evening.
Meanwhile, Jurica Pavlic dropped just three points to opposing riders on route to his fourth double figure score in Robins’ colours. Remanrkably, the Croatian has now notched a staggering paid 58 points from four Elite league encounters.
Leigh Adams was in characteristically dominant form and was the backbone of Swindon’s eventual success whilst Travis McGowan and James Wright battled hard for their points.
Coventry were well led by the recently signed number one rider Hans Andersen who received solid support from Olly Allen (paid 10) and Chris Harris who contributed a typically flamboyant nine points.
Leigh Adams got the meeting underway with a characteristically dominant heat one race win. The Australian edged out Coventry’s Hans Andersen on the back straight of the opening lap and repelled pressure from the Dane in the early stages of the race.
Swindon edged ahead with a 4-2 in the ensuing heat that saw Jurica Pavlic and Richard Sweetman combine for a heat advantage. Pavlic blasted away from the tapes to collect an untroubled victory whilst the clever Sweetman moved past Robbie Kessler in the early stages but was unable to catch Filip Sitera.
The Robins’ doubled their advantage in heat three as Mads Korneliussen rode superbly to fend of the persistent and spirited challenge of Chris Harris. Travis McGowan’s third spot ensured Swindon shuffled their lead to four points before a points share in the ensuing race maintained the advantage.
Coventry struck back with force with a well worked 5-1 from the Andersen/Allen combination in race five. Adams and Wright quickly restored a Swindon lead with a cleverly engineered heat six 4-2 before an absolutely stunning race seven saw the Robins’ notch their fourth 4-2 of the night.
Troy Batchelor and Chris Harris indulged in a scintillating battle out front whilst Richard Sweetman performed exceptionally well to keep Billy Janniro at bay in fourth spot.
With the Swindon advantage back at four points, Wright and Pavlic packed the minor placings in race eight to maintain the lead.
Race nine saw Mads Korneliussen comfortably prevail, before a Leigh Adams race win in heat ten kept the Swindon advantage at four points.
Troy Batchelor yet again rode with intelligence and flare to successfully halt the charge of Hans Andersen in heat eleven. Swindon’s Australian came under serious pressure from the Coventry rider on several occasions but maintained his composure flawlessly to keep Andersen in second spot.
Pavlic and Kornelissen settled behind Coventry’s Chris Harris in heat twelve as Swindon still nurtured a fout point lead.
Heat thirteen was a race to remember as a catalogue of passing manoeuvres whipped the Abbey Stadium faithful into a frenzy. Swindon’s Troy Batchelor made the start but was passed by Hans Andersen on the pits bend of lap one.
Leigh Adams quickly charged past Batchelor and set about chasing Andersen, the Swindon captain roared fast the Coventry number one on the home straight of lap three.
The resultant 4-2 moved Swindon’s lead to a commanding six points and victory was secured with an emphatic 5-1 in race fourteen.
Jurica Pavlic made a lightening quick start and left the chasing back in his wake. Meanwhile, Travis McGowan picked his way past the Coventry duo and surged into second place on the final lap and in doing so coaxed the famous Blunsdon roar from the home straight crowd.
More crackerjack speedway ensued in a thrilling heat fifteen that saw Troy Batchelor once again inflict an impressive defeat on Hans Andersen.
