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Speedway: On a glorious evening a large Blunsdon attendance witnessed Swindon collect a six point victory over a resolute Coventry side that wrestled the Robins into a last heat decider.

Despite trailing throughout the entire meeting the Bees fought back in the concluding stages and in doing so set up a tense climax to the meeting.

However, it was the Robins who prevailed as the Coventry attack fell apart in the concluding race and allowed Swindon to collect two more league points, in doing so bolstering their position at the top of the table.

As always, Leigh Adams contributed a thoroughly professional performance that saw him notch up a hefty fourteen point haul and deservedly collect the man of the match award. The Australian's contributed was supported by a typically entertaining paid eleven points from the Queensland firebrand, Troy Batchelor, whilst Mads Korneliussen continued to impress with eleven points of his own.

The visiting side were led by their diminutive Brit Chris Harris whilst young Ben Barker certainly caught the eye with a brilliantly acquired nine points.

In a meeting littered with re-runs and stoppages the Robins held the ascendancy throughout but conceded successive heat advantages in heats thirteen and fourteen which galvanized Coventry and launched them back into contention.

A re-run heat one saw Leigh Adams conjure a brilliant start and head the chasing pack into turn one. The spectacular Chris Harris chased the Robins captain valiantly throughout the races but was ultimately unable to match the blistering pace of Adams who registered a super quick heat one time. James Wright's third spot handed Swindon a 4-2 heat advantage and an early lead that was quickly doubled by the reserve pairing of Alden and Pijper in race two.

A third successive Swindon 4-2 ensued in heat three and Korneliussen and McGowan sandwiched Coventry's Rory Schlein.

Troy Batchelor and Simon Stead indulged in an absorbing battle in heat four that eventually saw the stylish Stead prevail and in doing so register the first 3-3 of the meeting.

A second points share ensued in heat five as Chris Harris utilized the ample grip Blunsdon had to offer and romped to victory in a scintillating time just .09 seconds outside of the track record.

Adams and Wright set the terraces alight with a well worked 5-1 in heat six which extended the Swindon lead to ten points.

Batchelor defeated his compatriot Rory Schlein in a fairly uneventful heat seven before Simon Stead demonstrated his flamboyant style with a deserved victory in race eight.

Mads Korneliussen took victory from a hard charging and thoroughly impressive Ben Barker in heat nine whilst Simon Stead nipped inside Travis McGowan on the back straight of the final lap to grab third.

A comfortable heat ten victory for Leigh Adams maintained the Swindon advantage before Coventry nominated Chris Harris for a tactical ride in heat eleven. However, the British rider effectiveness was halted by a tenacious Troy Batchelor who whipped the crowd into a frenzy with a truly composed ride that kept Harris at bay for four laps. The resultant 5-3 in the Bees favour narrowed the Swindon lead to eight points before an easy win for Korneliussen in race twelve maintained the advantage.

A blisteringly quick Chris Harris defeated Leigh Adams in heat thirteen whilst Simon Stead held on to third spot which handed Coventry a 4-2 heat advantage.

The Bees continued their charge with a well worked 5-1 in heat fourteen which trimmed the Swindon lead to just two points.

Needing a 5-1 for victory, the oppositions heat fifteen challenge began badly as Chris Harris ploughed through the tapes and opted to start the re-run from fifteen metres. Leigh Adams conjured a superb get away to head the chasing pack in the re-staging whilst Harris made light work of his fifteen metre handicap. The British racer launched an audacious attempt to pass Troy Batchelor on the third bend of lap three and in doing so sent the Robins rider clattering into the air fence. Harris was adjudged to have caused Batchelors fall and was excluded from the race that was promptly awarded by meeting referee Dave Robinson.

9:07am Friday 9th May 2008

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