FORMER Swindon skipper Hans Andersen gave his old club a massive boost by inspiring them to a first Elite League win of the season at the Abbey on Thursday.

Andersen, guesting for the injured Adrian Miedzinski, dropped just one point from five rides as the M&S Van Rental Robins overcame Lakeside 47-43.

And it was the Dane who produced a vintage manoeuvre in a nervy last-heat decider to secure the victory.

The Robins had led the meeting from the halfway stage but the Hammers refused to be shaken off, and back-to-back 4-2s in Heats 13 and 14 suddenly cut the gap to just four points.

And when Andreas Jonsson and Mikkel Bech flew from the start in the decider, it looked like a shock draw could be on the cards – but Andersen held a superb inside line coming off turn two and shot past both opponents to steer the Robins home.

The other Swindon riders all had their moments on an up-and-down night, and there was an early scare when stand-in skipper Nick Morris lost control in Heat 3 and crashed into guest team-mate Scott Nicholls, with both riders thankfully walking away.

Nicholls had two race wins, including a vital 5-1 with Morris over Andreas Jonsson in Heat 10, whilst guest reserve Lewis Blackbird was great value and got the better of Lakeside top-five man Kim Nilsson in Heat 8 for maximum points with Grzegorz Zengota.

Kyle Howarth was also solid in the No.2 position whilst the Hammers were well served by Jonsson, Bech and 2013 Robins rider Edward Kennett, whilst Steve Boxall was a lively reserve.

Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “The main thing was a win. It was a great move by Hans in Heat 15, he knows this place and rides it well, and always gives 100 per cent..

“Fair play to Lakeside, they came back at us strongly, and I always knew it was going to be tough because we’ve still got riders getting used to the place

“I also hold my hands up because I made an error over the reserves on the new race format where I should have switched them in Heat 9, but with Tom Perry already on the track I didn’t want to haul him back in. I made a mistake, simple as that, and it won’t happen again.”

ELITE LEAGUE
SWINDON 47: Hans Andersen 14, Lewis Blackbird 8+1, Kyle Howarth 7, Grzegorz Zengota 6, Scott Nicholls 6, Nick Morris 5+2, Tom Perry 1
LAKESIDE 43: Andreas Jonsson 11, Mikke Bech 9+2, Edward Kennett 9, Steve Boxall 7+1, Kim Nilsson 3, Adam Ellis 2+2, Richard Lawson 2+1
Elite League points: Swindon 3 Lakeside 1