ROBINS produced their best performance of the season to blast away the challenge of reigning Elite League champions Coventry Bees despite a depleted team .

Already without the Russian Renat Gafurov, owing to a clash of fixtures in his homeland, the Pebley Beach-backed side were dealt a further blow when Lee Richardson pulled out with a virus.

Swindon were only able to compensate with rider replacement, but the six riders bonded together superbly to push Bees into oblivion.

They won by 17 points and easily overcame the opposition's use of the contentious tactical ride rule for double points that basically assists poor sides.

Skipper Leigh Adams led by example with an 18-point paid maximum and never looked in danger despite having to face Great Britain's best in Scott Nicholls.

Great support came from last week's maximum man Sebastian Ulamek, riding against his 2005 teammates, who racked up 13 paid 14.

Adrian Miedzinski and Mads Korneliussen continued to please the Blunsdon faithful with their gutsy performances. The former notched eight and the latter paid 12 including three race wins, Seb Alden featured in two 5-1 maximums and looks a fine prospect.

And despite coming in to replace Gafurov, Ritchie Hawkins contributed well to the win.

Coventry were a huge disappointment and unless they produce the same sort of run as last year in the second half of the season, they will not even make the play-offs.

Glowing Swindon boss Alun Rossiter could not hide his delight, saying: "That was an absolutely awesome performance from all six riders, including Ritchie Hawkins.

"They all rallied to the cause, they are a team of triers and never gave up I just wish I had a full seven-man team.

"I have a big smile on my face and fully justified. That was a massive performance against the odds."

He added: "What a great captain Leigh Adams is. I just wish his luck would change in the Grand Prix series as he deserves it.

"He is desperate to win the league for Swindon and leads by example. He helps all of the riders in the pits.

"It bodes well for the return at Coventry tonight and hopefully we can get another win and bonus point to keep our run going.

"We are going well at the moment, crowds are up and hopefully we can increase them even more.

"Swindon Robins are on the move. The football season is now over and Blunsdon could be really rocking with a few more supporters."

Captain Adams added: "It was a really good showing by the guys who raised their game.

"It was tough with no Renat or Lee but everyone rode well and we got an unbelievable result. Hopefully we can go on from here."

Robins made a good start with the pairing of Adams and Korneliussen producing a 4-2 in the opener.

But in the next reserves Miedzinski and Alden did even better, leaving the Bees pair of Martin Smolinski and Olly Allen trailing in their wake to register the first 5-1 of the night.

Despite Hawkins falling and being excluded, Ulamek won heat three to maintain the six-point lead.

Coventry hit back in the next with a 5-1 over Swindon's two reserves and drew level in heat five with a 4-2 from Chris Harris and Morten Risager over Hawkins and Ulamek, who finished a surprise last.

Robins then turned up the power with three consecutive 5-1 maximums to take a big lead.

Trailing 30-18, Bees manager Peter Oakes used the tactical ride rule to try and stop the rout.

It worked in race nine as Nicholls took the flag for six points but with Ulamek and Hawkins taking the minor placings the damage was limited to a 6-3.

The Adams and Korneliussen partnership then took a 4-2, to keep Swindon on track.

Heat 11 was shared as Adams powered to his fourth win of the night, although Bees pulled two points back in race 12 as Schlein followed home a fast trapping Miedzinski as a joker for a 5-3.

Adams duly took his fifth win in heat 13 for a share of the spoils to secure victory in the first leg.

Ulamek and Miedzinski then piled on the agony for the Elite League champions as they blasted to Swindon's fifth 5-1 of the night.

Ulamek and Adams put the icing on the cake with a superb 5-1 in the last race to raise hopes of winning the return at Coventry tonight as well as taking the bonus point.

MEETING DETAILS

SWINDON 56: Leigh Adams (3-3-3-3-3-2*) 17+1; Mads Korneliussen (1-2*-3-1-0) 7+1; Ritchie Hawkins (Fx-2-1*) 3+1; Sebastian Ulamek (3-0-2*-2-3-3) 13+1; Rider Replacement Lee Richardson; Adrian Miedzinski (3-R-3-0-3-2*) 11+1; Sebastian Alden (2*-1-2*-0) 5+2

COVENTRY 39: Chris Harris (2-3-2-1*-0) 8+1; Morten Risager (0-1-0) 1; Rory Schlein (2-1-2-4) 9; Billy Janniro (1*-F-R) 1+1; Scott Nicholls (3-1-6-2-1) 13; Martin Smolinski (1-0-R-1*-1) 3+1; Olly Allen (0-2*-1-1*-0) 4+2.

HEAT DETAILS

  • Heat 1 (re-run): Adams, Harris, Korneliussen, Risager, 65.36 (4-2)
  • Heat 2: Miedzinski, Alden, Smolinkski, Allen, 66.36 (9-3)
  • Heat 3 (re-run): Ulamek, Schlein, Janniro, Hawkins (f.exc), 65.71 (12-6)
  • Heat 4: Nicholls, Allen, Alden, Miedzinski (ret), 66.71, (13-11)
  • Heat 5: Harris, Hawkins, Risager, Ulamek, 65.52 (15-15)
  • Heat 6: Adams, Korneliussen, Nicholls, Smolinski, 65.55 (20-16)
  • Heat 7: Miedzinski, Ulamek, Schlein, Janniro (fell), 66.80 (25-17)
  • Heat 8: Korneliussen, Alden, Allen, Risager, 65.99 (30-18)
  • Heat 9: Nicholls (T/R), Ulamek, Hawkins, Smolinski (ret), 65.93 (33-24)
  • Heat 10: Adams, Schlein, Korneliussen, Janniro, 66.39 (37-26)
  • Heat 11: Adams, Harris, Allen, Miedzinski, 65.08 (40-29)
  • Heat 12: Miedzinski, Schlein (T/R), Smolinski, Alden, 66.30 (43-34)
  • Heat 13: Adams, Nicholls, Harris, Korneliussen, 65.24 (46-37)
  • Heat 14 (re-run): Miedzinski, Ulamek, Smolinski, Allen, 66.52 (51-38)
  • Heat 15: Ulamek, Adams, Nicholls, Harris, 65.81 (56-39)

MAN OF THE MATCH

LEIGH ADAMS

Tough choice between the brilliant duo of Korneliussen and Miedzinski, plus skipper Adams. I opt for the latter as he shrugged aside his GP disappointment with a faultless 18-point maximum and inspire the team to an awesome win.