SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter praised his side’s professionalism as the Robins cruised to a 56-39 success over basement boys Belle Vue at Blunsdon last night.

The Robins led the meeting from start to finish and were never seriously troubled, despite two successful tactical rides for the Aces which saw them pick up 8-0 and a 6-3 heat wins to momentarily drag them back into the contest.

But two 5-1s in heats 13 and 14 ultimately saw the home side pick up all three Elite League points, putting them two behind leaders Poole ahead of the two teams’ vital meeting on Monday.

Peter Kildemand led the way for the Robins with 10+3 while Simon Stead continued his recent improvement with 10+1, and Rossiter was pleased with the way all of his riders applied themselves in a meeting they were always expected to win with ease.

“Everyone did their job for the team which gives us confidence going into Monday’s meeting,” he said. “I never really thought we were in any trouble at all because we always had the advantage after they got their tactical rides, and I always knew we would do well because we are strong at the end of meetings.

“We always thought we would win the meeting, but we had to go into it with the right attitude because if we didn’t it could have become a bit of a banana skin for us, and the boys all had the right attitude to make sure that didn’t happen.

“All of the guys rode well and Jason (Doyle) did well to rife with the injury he suffered, and it would have been more but he blew an engine out at the end which was unfortunate.

“Everyone before the meeting was talking about how big the Poole meeting would be, but I was always focussed on this one, and now it is out the way we can start to think how big the Poole meeting will be for us.”

The spoils were shared in the opening heat as skipper Hans Andersen took victory, and Stead burst out of the gate to claim his first win since dropping down to reserve in heat two as the Robins took a lead that they would never relinquish. The home side claimed their first 5-1 of the night in heat three through the ultra-consistent pairing of Kildemand and Doyle, before the visitors secured two heat wins in a row through Ales Dryml and Rory Schlein but had to settle for two 3-3 draws.

The Robins stretched their advantage to 14 as first Andersen and Nick Morris and then Troy Batchelor and Stead secured 5-1s, but they were soon pulled back after a bizarre heat eight which saw Dryml and Sam Masters claim an 8-0 tactical victory.

First Morris overcooked turn one before being excluded, and then Lampart looked to have made a superb start in the re-run before the red lights came on to pull all three riders back.

The Pole made an electric start as the race restarted once again, but he too soon found himself in the fence as he picked up grip going into turn one of lap two, allowing Belle Vue to parade round to pick up maximum points.

The Robins’ lead was suddenly only six points, but Kildemand and Doyle once again settled the nerves with a 5-1, beating Josh Grajczonek and the hapless Artur Mrocka.

The lead was extended further as Morris beat the charging Renat Gafurov, but the Robins were pegged back once again as Schlein took victory as the Aces used their second tactical ride of the evening.

But once again the Robins hit back with a heat advantage in the very next heat, as Kildemand secured his first win of the night ahead of Grajczonek.

The meeting was finally put to bed in heat 13 after a 5-1 from Batchelor and Andersen, and another maximum quickly followed as Stead weaved his magic from the back to hunt down Renat Gafurov, and then pipped his teammate Doyle on the line in the best race of the night.

Schlein came out and won heat 15 for the visitors but in truth it didn’t matter, and the Robins can now look ahead to Monday’s mouth-watering clash with leaders Poole.