SWINDON Robins missed an opportunity to go top of the SGB Premiership table after losing 50-40 to Somerset at the Oak Tree Arena.

Alun Rossiter’s men required a 3-3 in the final race of the night, but world champion Jason Doyle and Jack Holder teamed up to deny the Robins a consolation bonus point.

Robins made a steady start when promising Brit Adam Ellis launched from gate one to win comfortably ahead of home Australian pairing Jake Allen and Jason Doyle while Nick Morris finished last.

Reserve Zach Wajtknecht continued Robins’ winning theme in heat two when beating Ashley Morris and Bradley Wilson-Dean to the chequered flag while Jack Smith finished fourth.

Heat three saw Robins record there first heat advantage as Troy Batchelor won from the gate while David Bellego took advantage of Charles Wright’s error on bend four to pinch third place.

Wright’s error prompted an early break for track grading as riders voiced their displeasure over the racing surface, particularly when exiting turn four.

Heat four saw Rebels reverse their two-point deficit as Bradley Wilson-Dean led home Richard Lawson with Jack Smith and Tobiasz Musielak too far behind to land a blow.

More frustration grew among fans when the two-minute warning for heat five was cancelled after riders refused to race before more track work was completed.

A 10-minute delay followed before Rebels doubled their lead in heat five as Jack Holder led home Nick Morris with Charles Wright losing second after drifting wide on bend two.

They doubled their lead for the second time in as many races during heat six, though Rebels’ case was aided when Tobiasz Musielak broke through the tapes while under orders.

Musielak was replaced by Jack Smith, who ran world champion Jason Doyle close in the first turn but failed to keep pace with the Aussie as Doyle and Allen secured a comfortable 5-1, stretching Garry May’s side’s lead to eight.

David Bellego and Troy Batchelor stopped Rebels’ run of heat advantages when claiming the minor points scoring positions in heat seven as they were helpless but to allow Richard Lawson cruise to a tapes-to-flag win.

Heat eight had to be stopped after Jake Allen fell when attempting the round Robins heat leader Adam Ellis while Alun Rossiter’s men held a 5-1.

The Aussie appeared to have the speed on Ellis, but he picked up some drive off the fourth bend and was forced to lay the bike down to avoid a more serious incident.

Allen’s spill prompted another delay for track work before Bradley Wilson-Dean won the re-run ahead of Ellis and Wajtknecht to maintain Rebels’ eight-point advantage.

That was cut to six after heat nine as Troy Batchelor was drafted in by Alun Rossiter to replace Zach Wajtknecht as a tactical substitute.

Though Batchelor won the race, Robins were denied their first 5-1 of the night when Charles Wright charged underneath Tobiasz Musielak entering bend three of lap four – a move which restricted Robins to a 4-2.

Jack Allen held off a hard-charging David Bellego to secure a 3-3 for the Rebels in heat 10 as Troy Batchelor won his second race on the spin.

Robins’ 5-1 duck was broke in heat 11 as Nick Morris led home Adam Ellis for Swindon’s first maximum over Richard Lawson and Ashley Morris, reducing the deficit to two points.

But Rebels re-established their six-point lead in heat 12 as Troy Batchelor was rounded by Bradley Wilson-Dean in spectacular style before Charles Wright dived underneath the Aussie to relegate Swindon to a 5-1.

Tobiasz Musielak held off Jason Doyle in heat 13 to reduced Rebels’ lead to four points with Nick Morris filling in for third before Somerset secured the win when Jack Holder and Bradley Wilson-Dean earned a 4-2 in the penultimate race.

But hopes of Robins going top of the table were dashed in heat 15 as Jason Doyle and Jack Holder secured a 5-1 in the last race of the night over Batchelor and Musielak.