Swindon got back to winning ways with a well deserved five point victory over Ipswich at a sun drenched Abbey stadium.
The Robins held the ascendancy throughout, but despite romping to an early fourteen point lead were pegged back by an Ipswich side who came to life in the latter stages of the meeting.
The Witches hauled themselves back into contention with a well worked tactical ride in heat seven and had narrowed Swindon’s advantage to just three points after heat twelve.
However, a race fourteen 4-2 from Troy Batchelor and guest rider Krzystof Stojanowski was enough to seal victory for Swindon who are now just two points behind Elite league leaders Poole.
A fabulous paid fourteen point haul from Leigh Adams underpinned Swindon’s success. The stylish Australian narrowly missed out on his one hundredth maximum in Robins’ colours when he was beaten by Ipswich’s Polish International Jarek Hampel in heat fifteen.
Meanwhile, Troy Batchelor celebrated his Abbey Stadium return with an impressive paid thirteen points, obtained from hectic five ride schedule.
The Queenslander was in great form and showed plenty of his trademark determination along with some lightening fast reflexes away from the tapes .
James Wright rode extremely well on route to a paid nine point haul whilst Mads Korneliussen started the meeting slowly but picked up points as the evening progressed.
It was however the performance of guest inclusion Krystof Stojanowski that really caught the eye as the Polish thrill merchant entertained the Blunsdon faithful with an array of overtaking manoeuvres.
The affectionately nick named ‘Stoj’ produced the ride of the night in heat fourteen as he pursued, and then passed Ipswich’s Steve Johnston on the exit of bend four of the final lap.
Ipswich were well led by Jarek Hampel who collected three race wins, including a double points tactical ride in heat seven. Hampel’s compatriot, Piotr Swiderski, also enjoyed a fruitful night whilst young German reserve Tobias Kroner started the meeting slowly but sprung to life in the latter stages.
The meeting began well for Swindon as Leigh Adams and James Wright combined for a 5-1 to emphatically to propel the Robins into an early four point lead.
Adams held the inside line and blocked the challenge of Ipswich’s Piotr Swiderski whilst James Wright blasted around the outside of bend two to join his skipper out front.
Swindon moved further ahead in heat two as the guest duo of Stojanowski and Holder collected a 4-2 in a race that saw Ipswich reserve Tobias Kroner clatter through the tapes in the initial staging.
Troy Batchelor eased to victory in race three whilst team mate Mads Korneliussen struggled to recover from a disastrous get away and despite a spirited effort was unable to stamp his authority on the race.
Travis McGowan rode cleverly to win heat four before Batchelor continued to impress with a comfortable tapes to flag victory in race five.
Adams and Wright continued to develop their productive partnership with another excellently acquired 5-1 heat advantage in race six to put Swindon fourteen points ahead.
Jarek Hampel was nominated by Ipswich manager Pete Simmons for a tactical ride in heat seven and the Polish rider didn’t disappoint; alongside Steve Johnston the move inflicted maximum damage on Swindon’s lead.
Swiderksi showed plenty of aggression as he collected victory in heat eight before Tobias Kroner sprung into life with a win over Batchelor in race nine.
Adams and Wright steadied the Swindon ship with a 4-2 in heat ten with the former conjuring a superb pass of Jarek Hampel exiting the fourth bend of lap one.
Kroner and Swiderski hauled Ipswich back into contention with an emphatic 4-2 in race eleven. A further Witches’ heat advantage ensued in race twelve to narrow the Swindon lead to three points before a battling Leigh Adams got the better of Swiderski in heat thirteen.
Heat fourteen saw Batchelor romp away from the tapes but all the action was focussed on the minor places at Krystof Stojanowski flirted with an array of varying lines in an attempt to pass Steve Johnston. The exciting Polish rider did manage to forge a route past the Australian which handed Swindon a 4-2 and secured victory on the night.
Hampel lowered Adams’ colours in heat fifteen with a classy ride whilst Batchelor executed a brilliant pass of Piotr Swiderski much to the delight of the bumper Blunsdon crowd.
