A STUNNING last-race maximum secured Swindon Robins their first SGB Premiership victory of the season in a thrilling meeting away at Somerset Rebels this evening.

Alun Rossiter’s troops trailed 43-41 heading into Heat 15 at the Oak Tree Arena but a brilliant win from David Bellego, backed up by skipper Jason Doyle, saw the Robins snatch a crucial 5-1 success and with it the overall glory on the night.

The victory was a fourth in five rides for Frenchman Bellego, who topped the visitors’ scoring charts with 13+1 points, while Doyle was not far behind on 12+1.

Swindon were handed a big slice of luck midway through the meeting when Josh Grajczonek – one of three of the Robins’ 2016 septet in the Somerset squad – and Jake Allen suffered engine failures in consecutive races, costing the Rebels a handful of points.

However, Rossiter felt that did not take any gloss off his side’s maiden league win of 2017.

“It was a fantastic meeting and full credit to both sets of riders, they all got stuck in and there were some great races,” said Rossiter.

“Josh Grajczonek was on fire tonight but David and Jason did brilliantly in the last race and we just did enough. David really got stuck in tonight and his races were fantastic, it was really pleasing to see.

“We were a bit fortunate with their retirements but that’s speedway. We have had a bit of bad luck on our way this year so it’s swings and roundabouts.

“When Nick stopped against Poole on Monday, I’m sure he would have won that race, and it would have been the difference between winning and losing that meet. That happens it speedway and luck will go with us and it will go against us. Tonight it went with us.

“That win has been coming. This is a big step up for some of these guys and I think the win tonight is well deserved.”

Swindon got their noses in front early on with victory in the opening race. Skipper Doyle nailed the start and swiftly opened up a gap on former Robin Rohan Tungate on lap one, although the real battle was for third as Bradley Wilson-Dean bravely fended off Paul Starke.

However, the Rebels soon began to make home advantage count with victories in each of the next three races.

Jan Graverson and Emil Grondal were elbow to elbow out of the gate in Heat Two but the Somerset man was able to sneak ahead.

Two stunning passes then did for Swindon in Heats Three and Four as Adam Ellis and then Nick Morris gated best only to be caught by bold moves by Charles Wright and Grajczonek – both ex-Swindon riders – respectively.

Swindon skipper Doyle was able to end that sequence thanks to another fine start in Heat Five, although the hosts did manage to share the points to hold a 16-14 lead.

Tungate squeezed out Morris into the first bend to take victory in the next race but the Robins were handed a slice of luck in Heat Seven to draw level on the overall scoreboard.

The wide line on the top bend worked wonders for Grajczonek as he swooped past Ellis, only for his bike to then give up on the final lap to gift the visitors a maximum, led by Bellego.

Swindon made it back-to-back wins in the next as a superb start from Wilson-Dean had him away and clear and more Rebels engine trouble helped the visitors as Allen was forced to retire from second place, handing Zach Wajtknecht a point.

The race of the night so far then unfolded in Heat Nine, with several amazing battles taking place all the way through but Grajczonek got the win, having earlier found himself in last on the opening lap.

A stunning burst of speed from Bellego on the back straight of lap one saw him muscle past Starke in Heat 10 but the points were shared both in the race and overall, with the teams tied up at 30-30.

An unbelievably fast start from Grajczonek left even Doyle for dead in the next but solid riding from the Robins limited the damage to a shared heat before the Rebels snuck ahead overall for the first time since Heat Six, courtesy of fine front-running from Wright in Heat 12.

Having already witnessed one great race in Heat Nine, the 13th contest topped that, with the stadium announcer calling it the best race he had ever seen at the Oak Tree Arena. The lead changed hands numerous times between Grajczonek and Doyle but the Somerset man snatched the win on the line to keep his side in front overall.

The Robins’ fate looked set to be sealed in the penultimate race as Somerset’s Wright and Allen burst out in front and on course for a maximum but Bellego suddenly pulled off a blinding move on lap two to pass both and keep his side alive going into the final race.

There was still time for further drama, though, as Swindon snatched the points in dramatic fashion with a maximum in the last race. Bellego rode brilliantly to make it back-to-back wins and a nudge on Grajczonek secured Doyle second place and his side the spoils overall.

SOMERSET REBELS 44 SWINDON ROBINS 46

SOMERSET: Rohan Tungate 6+1 (2-3-1’-0-0), Paul Starke 3 (0-FX-1-2), Charles Wright 10+1 (3-1’-1-3-2) Brady Kurtz (R/R), Josh Grajczonek 13 (3-R-3-3-3-1), Jake Allen 6+1 (1-2-1-R-1-1’), Jan Graversen 6 (3-1-2-0).

SWINDON: Jason Doyle 12+1 (3-3-2-2-2’) Bradley Wilson-Dean 5+1 (1-0-3-1’) Adam Ellis 6+1 (2-2’-0-2), David Bellego 13+1 (1’-3-3-3-3), Nick Morris 7+1 (2-2-2-1’), Emil Grondal 2 (2-0-0-0-0), Zach Wajtknecht 1 (0-0-1).