SWINDON Robins snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at the Abbey Stadium as they were 48-42 winners over Rye House Rockets.

In a meeting that was scattered with drama, Swindon were eight points down on two occasions before clinching a victory late on.

The result meant Alun Rossiter’s side were able to maintain their unbeaten record at home and avoid back-to-back defeats in a thoroughly entertaining encounter to extend their lead at the top-of-the-table.

Following their six-point loss away at Leicester Lions on Wednesday nigh, team manager Rossiter was also forced to make a slight change to his side, as reserve Jack Smith was unavailable.

Teenager Anders Rowe, who turned 16 last month, is a Royal Wootton Bassett Academy pupil and was tasked with plugging the hole left by Smith, who was riding with his Championship club Sheffield.

Swindon could not have got off to a more disastrous start as the Rockets soared to a 10-2 advantage after just two heats.

In the opener, Krzysztof Kasprzak and Michael Palm Toft stormed clear of Nick Morris and Adam Ellis, who were unable to catch the visitors.

Heat two saw a slightly more competitive race, as Rowe got his first ride under his belt. However, that too ended badly for the hosts as Zach Wajtknecht drifted wide into air barrier after contesting hard with Ash Morris out front.

At the back, Max Clegg was comfortably ahead of Rowe as the away side secured back-to-back maximums following Wajtknecht’s retirement.

The disruption spilled over into heat three, as the red light brought all four riders back to the start, following a collision between David Bellego and Stuart Robson.

In the re-run, Batchelor bombed through from gate four to lead, as Swindon get their first heat win of the night, winning 4-2.

A heat later, Tobiasz Musielak followed the example set from Batchelor as he too came from gate four to lead and converted the advantage with ease, Rowe struggling at the back.

Another disappointing, yet competitive heat in the fifth, saw the top two of Batchelor and Kasprzak and Palm Toft battle it out, but Batchelor couldn’t get ahead of his man and neither could Bellego.

Heat six brought luck for Robins as Scott Nicholls fell on turn four, leaving the door open for Morris and Adam Ellis to claim a maximum to bring Swindon within four points at 16-20.

Wajtknecht was switched for Rowe in seven but Musielak got the door shut in his face from Robson and Harris as they held on for a solid 5-1 win.

In the eighth, Rossiter swapped Rowe out for Wajtknecht, while Rockets’ Max Clegg was replaced by Morris. Palm Toft weaved his way between Ellis and Wajtknecht to take the win.

With an eight-point deficit, Swindon made a tactical substitution to bring in Morris for Bellego and it had the desired affect as Aussie duo of Morris and Batchelor won the heat 5-1.

A superb ride form skipper Morris, who made it back-to-back wins, dragged Robins level at 30 apiece after Ellis crossed the line in second.

In the ascendency, Swindon’s upturn in form continued. There was a blip in the 11 as Palm Toft got the better of Musielak, as the Rockets got a 4-2 win.

Batchelor got in front but was pipped by Harris out of turn two. A nice move from Wajtknecht saw him sneak third to level the heat 3-3.

Next up Musielak got off to a great start to lead, Morris had second but was passed by Nicholls but registered third to bring the meeting level with 39 apiece.

Bellego and Wajtknecht provided the defining moment of the night as the former got the race win, with Watjnecht taking second to put Swindon in the lead for the first time in the penultimate heat.

With the opportunity of a draw, the Rockets had more riding on the final heat than the home side, but it turned out to be something of an anti-climax after Palm Toft took a tumble.

Swindon had gates one and three as Musielak and Morris were given the responsibility of seeing out the result.

After a great start from Musielak he took the initiative and didn’t let it up as he was chased by Harris.

Morris battled hard and ultimately got his rewards as Palm Toft was disqualified, leaving Swindon with a 4-2 heat win and a 48-42 home win.