SWINDON boss Ronnie Russell was left frustrated last night after his septet surrendered a sizeable lead for the second time in four days.

Having led hosts Eastbourne 19-11 with five heats gone, the Blunsdon outfit were eventually made to settle for a point after the Eagles hit back to win 47-43, in an exact reverse of the opening day scoreline between the sides.

And it was a result that did not go down well with Russell, who saw his team lose at Coventry on Monday having held a 13-point advantage early on.

“Once again we have exactly the same thing,” he said. “We got off to a comfortable start and even in that we threw a couple of points away. At Coventry we had an 8-1 and tonight it was a 5-1 that encouraged the opposition that they could get back into it.

“My plan was to stop us coming away with nothing but this is one of those opportunities where we could and should have come away with more.”

Captain Leigh Adams (14) and reserve Thomas H. Jonasson (paid 12) were Swindon’s standout performers at Arlington, but Grzegorz Zengota once again struggled away from home, managing just a single point. And it was the Pole, as well as scoreless Jordan Frampton, who disappointed Russell most.

“Zengota is a quality speedway rider who competes at the highest level in his home land,” said Russell. “He should be able to adapt and get four or five points, one isn’t any good.

“Jordan told me he was struggling with his confidence on the away tracks, but when he rides in the Premier League he feels like he’s going to beat everybody. I said, ‘We’ve got to find a way to bring that confidence with you’.”

Robins made a positive start when Adams beat former teammate Matej Zagar in race one, before Jonasson, who notched paid 14 at Arlington in March, continued where he left off with three points in the reserves’ battle.

Swindon were made to settle for a 4-2 in heat three after Grzegorz Zengota was passed by Eagles skipper Cameron Woodward on the last lap, before the honours were shared in four.

The lead was stretched to 19-11 as Adams and Risager cruised to a 5-1, but Eastbourne returned the favour straight after.

And the home side closed the gap further with a 4-2 from Ricky Kling and Joonas Kylmakorpi.

When Dawid Lampart led in a 5-1 in heat eight, Eastbourne were ahead for the first time, and that two-point lead was increased when Simon Stead was beaten by Woodward.

Jonasson flew out in 10 but was passed by Zagar and Gustafsson, before overhauling the former on the third bend to limit the damage.

With the hosts beginning to crank up the pressure, Swindon responded in the perfect manner as Risager nailed his start and Adams helped the Dane round for a well-timed 5-1.

The combined forces Jonasson and Korneliussen were surprisingly unable to outgun Lukas Dryml in heat 12, and Adams made it four race wins from four as he took the chequered flag ahead of Kylmakorpi and Zagar.

Eastbourne made sure of at least drawing the meeting with a 4-2 in the penultimate race as Kling won from the gate ahead of Jonasson.

Needing a 5-1 for two Elite League points, Adams and Risager found Zagar too hot to handle after the Slovenian got away in the early stages.