A TOUGH week for Swindon Robins saw them finish without a point as they suffered a third defeat in five days away at Lakeside Hammers tonight.

Having already gone down at Elite League leaders Wolverhampton Wolves and at home to Belle Vue Aces, as well as seeing their trip to King’s Lynn Stars abandoned after only four heats, the Robins travelled to Essex looking to salvage some pride.

However, although they were never outclassed and turned in several strong rides, Alun Rossiter’s side were always playing catch-up behind the Hammers and the curtain came down on their week with even more frustration in the air and their hopes of reaching the end-of-season play-offs significantly hit.

The Robins had to make the trip east with a makeshift side due a fixture clash with Premier League side Somerset Rebels, which meant that Josh Grajczonek, Rohan Tungate and Charles Wright were all unavailable. Stefan Nielsen continued to miss out through injury, leaving just skipper Jason Doyle, Nick Morris and Justin Sedgmen from Swindon’s original septet.

Rider replacement was operated in Tungate’s place, while Bjarne Pedersen, Stuart Robson and Danny Ayers were all booked as guests.

Although Robson in particular excelled with a haul of 11 points, the absence of so many of their regular riders proved decisive for the Robins as Lakeside swept to a sizeable success.

It was a nightmare start for the Robins as Lakeside stormed to a maximum in the opening heat of the night. Andreas Jonsson broke clear on the first lap and Doyle was left to duel with Edward Kennett but the Swindon captain could not deny the hosts their points.

Swindon’s guest reserves then put in a good response as Robson triumphed in a 4-2 but Lakeside claimed a second maximum in three heats in the next. Kim Nilsson gated best and Richard Lawson took a brave line behind to steal second from Pedersen before the two Hammers then put on a textbook team ride.

Morris then evened up the heat wins by getting the better of a cracking battle with Lewis Bridger but the points were shared as the hosts led 15-9 at the first grading.

Morris seemed to get the best start in the next but Kennett and Robson both zoomed by on the back straight and the Hammer went on to claim a comfortable win, although the points were shared again.

With Lewis Bridger excluded in heat six, the Robins needed a big ride and Doyle provided just that, taking a sweeping wide line into the first bend before racing clear for the win.

However, Jonsson was away and clear out of the gates in the next and although Morris looked to have second sewn up, he was hit by a sucker-punch on the final lap after a superb pass by Nilsson to claim a Lakeside maximum.

In the final heat before the second grading, Robson continued to prove a stellar booking as he won the race of the night. The Swindon guest nailed the start before duelling with Lewis Kerr then Bridger and finding himself down in third. Robson was not done, though, and two sublime passes bagged him the win as the Hammers led 28-20.

Morris was able to trim the gap in the next race, claiming a second win of the night ahead of the fast-chasing Kennett, however, the Hammers hit back as Doyle's wide line at the start failed to pay off and he was edged out by Lawson.

Pedersen was excluded following a fall in heat 11 and it is always going to be a tough ask for Sedgmen on his own as Kennett led home a Hammers maximum to put a big nail in Swindon's coffin.

Robson produced a stunning ride to take second despite a 15m penalty behind Kerr in the next but the Hammers still moved 43-29 in front with three heats to go.

Doyle and Morris then both turned in two masterclass rides to triumph in races 13 and 14 respectively but it was a case of too little, too late for the Robins as they trailed by 12 points heading into the final heat.

Robins skipper Doyle proved he was a cut above again with another barnstorming win in the last to make it three for the night for him but it failed to gloss over a tough night for the team overall.