SWINDON Robins team manager Alun Rossiter believes it is starting to become a case of needs must for his team on the road as the race for the play-off places hots up.

Despite sitting in fourth place in the SGB Premiership table, Swindon head to Manchester to take on Belle Vue looking to improve on the two points they have accumulated away from home so far this term.

With half a dozen meetings having taken place away from the Abbey, the Robins have only been successful in picking up any rewards for their efforts at Monmore Green.

Although, a potential thread of encouragement came in the form of an eight-point defeat at Belle Vue earlier in the season with what many consider to be a weaker side than their current guise.

The Robins chief remains confident that his boys will be able to turn their fortunes around sooner rather than later as Swindon aim to put a gap between themselves and fifth place.

Rossiter said: “There’s still a long way to go, and I still think second and third are more than catchable. On our day, we’re as good as anybody.

“It (Belle Vue) is my second home these days. I’ve been up there about six times this year, but it’s a busy time and they’re not the shortest of journeys.

“We’re more than capable of doing something up there (in Manchester), we’ve just got to make sure we do get something from it.

“It’s an important meeting and we do need to start picking up points away, just to give us that cushion.

“It’s starting to become a case of needs must now.”

The Robins head to the National Speedway stadium with four different riders in the side from the one that fell just short of a bonus point in an agonising 49-41 defeat back in May.

Rasmus Jensen and Tobiasz Musielak have not raced for the Robins at Belle Vue so far this season and Rossiter is looking forward to seeing what his septet can do on a track that offers plenty of opportunity to pass.

“It’s a track that we’ll have no fears at, but we’ll have to be on our game because Belle Vue are a good side,” said Rossiter.

“It’s a track that everybody enjoys racing on. There are so many lines on it, so it makes for excellent racing.

“With Jason (Doyle), Tobi (Musielak), Troy (Batchelor) and Rasmus (Jensen), we should be going there with plenty of confidence.

“Razza is one of the guys that likes the bigger track, and he’s done really well since he’s come in, so I’m hopeful he can perform and I’m hopeful the other boys come to the party too.”