SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter admits more consistency is required from his top riders if the Robins are to challenge teams away from home following tonight's 50-40 loss against Belle Vue.

The Robins suffered their second Premiership defeat of the season in an otherwise entertaining fixture at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester.

Though Rossiter’s men still stood a chance of earning a consolation bonus point entering heat 15, a stunning swoop from teenager Dan Bewley denied the Robins any league points as Wolverhampton reclaimed top spot.

Skipper Nick Morris experienced a tough night, registering 6+1, while Adam Ellis scored five points after coming to grief in heat 11 – a moment which Rossiter described as the meeting’s turning point.

He said: “It was a pivotal moment when Adam (Ellis) fell off in heat 11 and I felt heat 13 was going to make or break us.

“I didn’t expect what happened in heat 14 too.

“But Belle Vue have a solid team all the way through and we restricted them early on.

“We were in the mix and battled all the way, I can’t fault that.

“I don’t know why but it seems a bit of a bogey track for Nick (Morris) at the moment.

“He can’t seem to get it right, he’s been riding excellent everywhere but it seems to haunt him here for some strange reason."

Robins trailed by just two points with five heats to go after Troy Batchelor and David Bellego teamed up for a 5-1 in heat 10.

But disaster struck when Ellis came to grief on the third turn during the first lap of heat 11 after running close to team mate Nick Morris.

And Rossiter admitted errors like that must be rectified if his men are to pick up league points.

“They need to be thinking a bit more," said Rossiter.

"When one rider goes wide the other comes down.

“Silly things like that can cost us vital points.”

New recruit Jack Smith also had a tough night.

But Rossiter backed the Brit to bounce back after he failed to score from his three rides.

Rossiter said: “It was always going to be tough.

“They had two strong reserves and are solid all the way through, a bit like us.

“We just need a couple of our top boys to be more consistent.

“There are a couple of times where we should’ve done better.”