WITH their scoring again topped by amazing skipper Leigh Adams on 14 points, Swindon's battling performance at Brandon Stadium was enough to see them take victory on aggregate in the Elite Shield.
Monday 24 March 2008
COVENTRY BUILDBASE BEES 52 SWINDON ROBINS 41
Elite Shield, second leg
Swindon won 98-87 on aggregate.
COVENTRY
Rory Schlein 2 2* 3 1 1 - - 9 (1)
Olly Allen 0 3 3 1 - - - 7
Chris Harris (C) 1 2 3 3 - - - 9
Billy Janniro 3 1* 2* 2 3 - - 11 (2)
Simon Stead 2* 2 2 3 - - - 9 (1)
Andreas Messing R 0 R - - - - 0
Stanislaw Burza 2 3 1 1 X - - 7
Team manager: Peter Oakes
THE Robins collected a welcome piece of early-season silverware, as they cruised to a comprehensive 11-point aggregate victory in the second leg of the Elite Shield at Coventry.
On a bitterly cold evening, the Swindon fans who made the journey to Warwickshire were rewarded for their dedication by a tenacious performance that was laced with bundles of contagious team spirit.
The Robins helped to partially eradicate the painful Play-Off and Knock-Out Cup Final memories of 2007, with a wholehearted fifteen-heat assault that earned the youthful team a trophy and provides a terrific springboard on which to launch their 2008 Elite League assault.
In truth, Swindon had done a majority of the hard work the previous evening at Blunsdon and arrived at Brandon nurturing a formidable 22-point advantage. That cushion proved more than enough and was bolstered by five heat wins on the night, which meant that Coventry were never able to seriously challenge for the aggregate lead.
The Robins were impeccably led by their ever-dependable linchpin Leigh Adams, who dropped just a solitary point on his way to a characteristically smooth 14-point haul. The Australian received sturdy support from an impressive Seb Alden, whose 8-point contribution included two heat wins, both of which were excellently acquired.
The Queensland Firebrand, Troy Batchelor, pitched in with 7 points, which represented a good night for the young Australian, whilst a typically entertaining Mads Korneliussen rode extremely well on route to 6 points.
The remaining three Robins will have, no doubt, been disappointed by their collective 6-point contribution, but it simply didn’t matter as Coventry failed to exploit Swindon’s vulnerabilities.
The Bees were well served by their flamboyant American Billy Janniro, whose scintillating start to the season continues vibrantly. His paid 13-point score was well supported by Simon Stead and Rory Schlein, both of whom chipped in with paid 10-point hauls.
The British pairing of Chris Harris and Olly Allen contributed a useful 16 points between them, whilst Polish thrill-merchant Stan Burza certainly caught the eye with an all-action 7 points.
The meeting began in positive style for the Robins, as Adams and James Wright combined for a well-worked 4-2, sandwiching Schlein in second spot.
Swindon collected a second successive 4-2 advantage in the ensuing race, as Alden and Theo Pijper teamed up to extend their lead on the night to 4 points. Alden, in particular, was very impressive as he executed a text-book inside pass of Burza entering turn one of lap four to emphatically take the lead.
Coventry struck back with a 4-2 of their own in heat three, as the in-form Janniro conjured a lightning start to hit the front whilst Batchelor rode with great maturity to repel the intense challenge of a hard-charging Harris.
The Bees collected the first 5-1 of the night in heat four, as Stead and Burza inflicted defeat on the Swindon pairing of Travis McGowan and Pijper, both of whom looked far from comfortable out on track.
Adams led all-the-way from the tapes in an uneventful heat five, before Allen and Schlein collected Coventry’s second 5-1 of the evening in heat six.
The ensuing race saw a fascinating first corner battle, as Stead held the lead on the apex of turn one but was quickly overtaken by an audacious outside move by Korneliussen and, simultaneously, an inside assault from Batchelor. Stead was able to negotiate a route back past the Australian, but was unable to catch a fast-riding Korneliussen.
Allen took the chequered flag in heat eight, whilst Alden reigned triumphant in a fascinating duel for second spot with Burza.
Heat nine saw the Bees extend their lead on the night to 10 points in a race that was awarded after a fall for McGowan on the pits bend.
The Bees stretched their lead to 12 points with a well-worked 4-2 in race ten that led to Adams being nominated for a double-points tactical ride in heat eleven. The Swindon captain didn’t disappoint as he comfortably defeated Stead, and Wright’s third spot ensured the Robins collected a 7-2, therefore reinstating their commanding aggregate position.
Harris and Burza collected a Coventry 4-2 in heat twelve, before Stead rode brilliantly to defeat Adams in re-run heat thirteen.
Alden showed great speed to keep Janniro and bay in heat fourteen and was rewarded with a spot in heat fifteen alongside Batchelor. The Australian duly collected second spot, as the Bees concluded the meeting with a 4-2 to narrow Swindon’s aggregate victory to 11 points.
As the snow begun to descend at the Brandon Stadium, the Robins’ supporters, management and riders celebrated their success.
HEAT DETAILS COURTESY OF LEE POOLE
MATCH REPORT BY CHRIS SEAWARD
