SGB Premiership
Swindon Robins 57 (3), Somerset Rebels 35 (0)

PERHAPS not unexpectedly, a patchwork ‘Cases’ Somerset Rebels side, which contained just two of their own riders, suffered a heavy defeat at top-of-the-table Swindon Robins on Thursday night, writes Ian Belcher.

The Rebels, with four guest riders in their septet, reached the halfway stage of affairs trailing Swindon by just eight points, but the second half of the match saw the Robins turn the screw, to eventually run out comfortable winners and maintain their lead at the top of the SGB Premiership table.

While the Rebels suffered some mechanical misfortune when in good points-scoring positions, especially in heat four when gremlins struck both Kevin Doolan and Edward Kennett while they were on for a maximum 5-1 heat win, Swindon had too much all-round strength for the make-shift Somerset side.

Guest reserve Kevin Doolan top-scored for the Rebels with paid 13 from his seven rides.

Somerset team manager Garry May: “I cannot fault the lads who came into the side to guest for us tonight, and I would like to publicly thank them for the efforts they put in this evening.

“It was always going to be a tall order to upset the Swindon apple-cart, but the boys kept plugging away.

"But with Patrick feeling the effects of rushing back from Denmark, where he was racing last night, to ride for us tonight, we really needed some luck to go our way to help us along, but even that deserted us tonight.

“But that’s speedway, and who knows, perhaps a bit of luck will go our way when we are back here to face Swindon again on Bank Holiday Monday.”

Scores
Swindon (57): Nick Morris 14, David Bellego 11+1, Jason Doyle 9+1, Tobiasz Musielak 8+1, Adam Ellis 8+1, Richard Hall 5+2, Matt Williamson 2.
Somerset (35): Kevin Doolan [guest] 12+1, Aaron Summers [guest] 9, Richard Lawson 7, Edward Kennett 4 [guest], Ashley Morris [guest] 2+1, Patrick Hougaard 1+1, Cameron Heeps r/r.