SWINDON Robins team manager Alun Rossiter is planning to make the most of their home advantage in the final few weeks of the campaign to reach the Elite League play-offs.
The Blunsdon side welcome leaders Kings Lynn Stars to the Abbey Stadium tonight looking to put the misery of Monday’s Coventry debacle behind them.
With Robins just one point off the play-off places and three of their final five meets at home, Rossiter is determined for a successful end to the campaign.
“The play-offs are there,” Rossiter said. “We still have got a number of home meets and we have to make sure that we make the most of them.”
And Swindon will make it a home double over the Stars tonight having already beaten them 50-40 at the Abbey last month.
Robins skipper Troy Batchelor said: “King’s Lynn are a really strong side, but we’ve already beaten them at home this season.
“We have been performing well at home recently and the track has been prepared really well which has helped us.
“We’ve turned a bit of a corner when it comes to our home form, so we need to maintain that if we are to make the play-offs.”
And if the Robins are to continue their fine home form - they have not lost a meet at Blunsdon since their 47-46 reverse to Wolverhampton on June 12 -they will need to put Monday’s stinging 53-40 loss at Coventry behind them.
Following that defeat Rossiter labelled referee Dave Robinson ‘a complete joke’ after several decisions left the Robins riders considering pulling out of that meet.
“I have just sent a report out (to the BSPA),” the team boss told the Advertiser. “I’m not prepared to have him officiate us again - to be honest I don’t see how he can officiate at all.
“There are obviously issues, to what extent I don’t know or understand.
“Obviously I have managed to calm down a bit from Monday, but I’m still incredibly frustrated by it all.
“I’m not saying whether the result would have been any different if what happened didn’t happen - we did have a few gating problems too.
“But we have to put it behind us and be mentally ready to face Kings Lynn.”
Former Robins captain Hans Andersen will guest for Swindon this evening in place of injured number one rider Peter Kildemand, but Rossiter said that his star Dane will be back on Monday.
“PK has declared himself fit for Monday and that is great for us,” the Swindon boss said. “Hans has done a good job for us, he was a disappointed with what he scored (against Eastbourne) but he helped us get a win and three points.”
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