Swindon Robins: The Big Play-Off Push

With the race for the play-offs in full flow, the Swindon Robins aim to battle it out for the fourth Speedway Elite League play-off spot, TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his view on the Wiltshire club's hopes.

It seems like only yesterday that British Speedway fans were gearing themselves up for what would be another year of hard, fast racing in the Speedway Elite League back in March, and yet here we are with the season nearing its dramatic conclusion and a final play-off spot still up for the grabs.

Having already secured their places in the final rounds of the Speedway Elite League, Belle Vue, Wolverhampton, and Poole will already be making their preparations for what will be hotly contested play-offs, however with two meetings still to go and one final point required Alun Rossiter’s Swindon Robins will be fully focused on the job at hand. 

A mixed season for the Robins has seen them struggle for consistency at crucial times of the season, with home form being a serious worry at stages as well, losing five times at the Abbey Stadium this season alone, but with the play-offs within touching distance the Swindon Robins will be hopeful of a fantastic end to the year.

Having ridden 26 meetings so far and with just one point needed to guarantee their place in the play-offs the Robins will be hopeful of reaching the final four, however it will be no easy task with their final two meetings being away at league leaders Belle Vue and play-off rivals the Lakeside Hammers.

The Swindon outfit will next be in action on Wednesday 14^th, away in Manchester at the National Speedway Stadium to the Belle Vue Aces, and admittedly this will be the Wiltshire outfit's best opportunity to gain that vital league point. A deserved 50-40 victory away to the Aces in May will give the Robins hope of claiming that crucial final point, but with the Belle Vue riders now fully dialled into their home track, it will be a big ask.

Two days later sees Swindon travel south to Essex in what may be their final meeting of the season as they take on the Lakeside Hammers. A point at Belle Vue and a guaranteed play-off spot would take any pressure off of the Blunsdon clubs shoulders, however if the Robins still need a point when they travel to the Arena Essex raceway then they will be in for a tough night.

Lakeside have become one of the most dominant home sides in the league this year, losing just one home meeting all season, against Poole in July. Failure in Manchester could also see this become the play-off decider but Robins fans will hope not given their 51-39 defeat their earlier in the season.

An interesting, decisive and nerve-wracking end to the season awaits the Swindon Robins riders and their fans as they go in search of the play-offs and hopefully the Elite League trophy. Failure to advance in this years' competition will see the Robins rue missed opportunities to take points earlier in the season against weaker teams such as Leicester.

A big week awaits the Swindon Robins and hopefully it will be a successful one as well, but one thing for sure is that it will be a close race to the finish line in search for the playoffs this year