A DOWNTRODDEN Alun Rossiter branded the Swindon Robins’ home defeat to the Belle Vue Aces last night as his side’s ‘worst meeting of the season’.

For the second night in a row, the Robins suffered an abandonment but unlike the farcical scenes at King’s Lynn on Wednesday night, where Swindon’s efforts were curtailed after just four heats, Thursday’s clash with Belle Vue was brought to an end with 12 heats done and dusted, leaving the hosts to reflect on a 39-33 loss.

With rain encroaching on proceedings all evening, Charles Wright’s heat 12 crash proved the straw that broke the camel’s back, with both teams deciding to call an early halt to the action.

But in doing so, the Robins couldn’t avoid suffering a major blow to their Elite League play-off hopes, leaving team boss Rossiter under a cloud.

“We just got beat by the rain in the end. We didn’t make the gate and it was all on the fence, and sadly, we weren’t sharp,” said the Robins chief.

“It’s pretty frustrating for us. Welcome to British summertime – I’m done with it.

“We can’t afford to lose at home and we’ve done it again. We were beaten by the weather unfortunately but Belle Vue got their noses in front and that was it.

“This was the worst meeting of the season.

“We’re going to have to start winning some away now. We’ve got to really start stepping it up now.

“After the World Cup, we’ve got a bit of a break where the boys can regroup and hopefully we can come back stronger.”