MORTEN Risager is hoping he can convince Swindon to keep him in their line-up after making a welcome return to form in the Robins’ 57-35 demolition of Belle Vue last night.

The Dane and his fellow countryman Mads Korneliussen have both been under fire following their recent performances but the pair impressed on their way to hauls of paid 10 and nine respectively.

And a delighted Risager told the Advertiser afterwards: “I got a few points under my belt and everything was working well.

“I need to keep it going now because one meeting doesn’t make up for all the bad ones I’ve had, I need to have another good one on Monday (against Coventry).

“I’m the one that’s most surprised I’m still here, but I thought it’s not going to come as much of a surprise if they sack me.

“I just tried to enjoy it and hopefully I’ve scored enough points to prove to them that they need to keep me.”

Swindon, who operated the rider replacement facility in the absence of Grzegorz Zengota, got off to a solid start last night as skipper Leigh Adams easily won race one.

Thomas H. Jonasson took victory from the front next, but Josh Grajczonek got the better of Jordan Frampton on the line.

Risager and Korneliussen answered their critics from the off with a 4-2 over Patrick Hougaard and Tobias Kroner in the re-run of race three, after the latter Robin had fallen at the first attempt.

The red-hot form of Simon Stead continued as he recorded a gate-and-go win next and then Korneliussen sped round the outside to take a thrilling win in five.

Adams won six from the gate and Stead weakened the impact of Hougaard’s second-placed tactical ride as he took the chequered flag.

James Wright and Leigh Lanham reduced the advantage to six points after coasting to a 5-1 against Risager and Jonasson, and the honours were shared in a re-run heat nine after Korneliussen and Risager could not catch Peter Karlsson.

A 5-1 from Adams and Jonasson gave the hosts a 36-26 lead following heat 10, with the latter riding superbly to keep Hougaard and Lanham at bay.

Frampton then put in arguably the performance of the night to storm to victory ahead of Hans Andersen on his second-choice bike, swinging the momentum in the hosts’ favour.

And the meeting was all over as Stead and Adams recorded a 4-2 over a curiously off-colour Andersen and Karlsson.

Korneliussen won 14 for good measure and Stead produced another outstanding ride to win 15 ahead of Adams.