ALUN Rossiter is refusing to press the panic button as the weather continues to play havoc with Swindon’s early-season fixtures, but admits he will begin to get worried if rain continues into next week.
Tonight’s Elite League meeting at home to Lakeside Hammers became the fifth meeting in a row to fall victim to the weather late last night.
Tomorrow’s trip to Peterborough Panthers in the Knockout Cup quarter final has already been called off as Britain experiences the wettest April on record.
Nevertheless, Blunsdon boss Rossiter is remaining positive despite facing another week without any speedway.
He said: “At the moment I’m not that concerned, but if it goes on into next week then I will start getting concerned that we weren’t getting any meetings on and would be faced with a backlog of fixtures.
“I think if that’s the case we’ll focus on completing the league meetings as that’s the most important thing, and if we can fit the cup in at the end, then all well and good.
“People are getting rides here and there in Poland and Sweden, but we were starting to get the boys together even more and it would have been nice to keep our momentum going.
“It’s the same for everybody at the moment so I’m not too worried.
“If there were three or four teams getting away then maybe, but everyone's the same boat.”
Rossiter is in favour of beginning the speedway season in April rather than in March, but admits that even this point of view would not have prevented the recent spate of postponements.
“I think we should always start in April, but having said that we’ve just had the wettest April on record,” he said.
“We start too early in March - it’s too cold and wet - and people come out for the first meeting but then wait till it’s warmer.
“The last season we had wasn’t good financially and we need to make sure we’re getting people through the gate.
“We’re winning so we’re getting that right and hopefully the weather will change and people will come down and see us.
“It’s always a good feeling when you're winning and when that happens everyone wants to be part of it.” Some speedway did beat the elements last night as King’s Lynn Stars grabbed maximum points away at bottom of the league Belle Vue Aces.
Kevin Wolbert was the star man for Lynn, scoring 16+1 while Josh Grajczonek notched 10+1 for the home side, who are yet to record an Elite League point.
The Robins’ next scheduled meeting is away at Poole on Monday, which both sides will be hoping beats the weather.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here