SWINDON skipper Hans Andersen believes it is vital the Robins maintain their concentration this evening as they prepare to take on a depleted Lakeside team.

The Hammers will be without Peter Karlsson and Kim Nilsson at the Abbey Stadium due to the Swedish league play-offs, and will be operating rider replacement for Jonas Davidsson once again, making the title-chasing Robins clear favourites to take maximum league points.

But Andersen is not expecting an easy ride, and believes the Robins will have to be at their best to bounce back from Monday’s defeat at title rivals Poole Pirates.

“We need to get back to winning ways as quickly as we can, because we were not happy to come away from Poole with nothing to show for our efforts,” he said.

“We were not too bad down there, but it always hurts to lose and we need to get back to winning ways again going into the play-offs.

“Nothing is easy in speedway at all because when you start underestimating your opponent that is when things start to go wrong for you.

“We did that earlier in the season against King’s Lynn and we ended up only drawing at home, so we need to avoid doing that again because it is going to be tough.

“They have got riders who go well around Swindon, but it just depends who turns up for them because we know what our riders are capable of.”

Andersen is looking forward to going head to head with Lakeside guest Scott Nicholls once again this evening, but believes the visitors need more than just a big performance from his old foe to take away any points from Blunsdon .

“I am not sure if I like riding against him but he is always a tough guy to race against, and we have had some good battles in the past,” he said.

“He is a tough customer who is capable of anything really, and he went pretty well last time he came to us with Coventry so we will have to watch out at Blunsdon.

“But one rider can not win a meeting for a team, we have seen that so many times, so it is not all down to him.”