SWINDON started their 2009 campaign impressively by easing to a fourteen point victory over current Swedish Elite League Champions Lejonen.


Thursday 19th March 2009.
International Challenge

Swindon Robins 55 Lejonen Lions 41

Swindon Robins
1. Leigh Adams 3 3 3 3 - - - 12
2. Travis McGowan 1 1 3 1 - - - 6
3. Troy Batchelor 2 2* 2* 3 2 - - 11 (2)
4. Jurica Pavlic 1* 3 3 3 0 - - 10 (1)
5. Simon Stead 3 2 2 R - - - 7
6. Krzysztof Stojanowski 0 0 0 2* - - - 2 (1)
7. Ryan Fisher 3 1 2* 1 - - - 7 (1)
Team Manager: Alun Rossiter

Lejonen Lions
1. Chris Holder 2 1 6! 2 3 - - 14
2. Tomasz Jedrzejak 0 0 1 1 - - - 2
3. Davey Watt 3 6! 2 2 - - - 13
4. Ricky Kling 0 1 0 1 - - - 2
5. Sebastian Ulamek 2 2 F 1* 1 - - 6(1)
6. Daniel Davidsson 2 0 1 0 - - - 3
7. Emil Kramer 1* R 0 0 - - - 1 (1)
Team Manager: Anders Frojd
Referee: M D Robinson

Programme Changes
Ht 7: Watt TR, Ht 11: Holder TR.

Ht 1: Adams, Holder, McGowan, Jedrzejak 65.52 (4-2)
Ht 2: Fisher, Davidsson, Kramer, Stojanowski (f.rem), 68.83 (7-5)
Ht 3:Watt, Batchelor, Pavlic, Kling, 66.96 (10-8)
Ht 4: Stead, Ulamek, Fisher, Kramer (ret), 67.77 (14-10)
Ht 5: Pavlic, Batchelor, Holder, Jedrzejak, 67.05 (19-11)
Ht 6: Adams, Ulamek, McGowan, Davidsson, 66.27 (23-13)
Ht 7: Watt TR!, Stead, Kling, Stojanowski, 66.37 (25-20)
Ht 8: McGowan, Fisher, Jedrzejak, Kramer, 67.55 (30-21)
Ht 9: Pavlic, Batchelor, Davidsson, Ulamek (f.exc) 67.74 (35-22)
Ht 10: Adams, Watt, McGowan, Kling, 66.65 (39-24)
Ht 11: Holder TR!, Stead, Jedrzejak, Stojanowski, 66.86 (41-31)
Ht 12: Batchelor, Watt, Fisher, Davidsson, 67.49 (45-33)
Ht 13: Adams, Holder, Ulamek, Stead (ret) 67.08 (48-36)
Ht 14: Pavlic, Stojanowski, Kling, Kramer, 68.30 (53-37)
Ht 15: Holder, Batchelor, Ulamek, Pavlic, 66.43 (55-41)

SWINDON’S 2009 campaign got underway in fine style with a commanding fourteen point victory over current Swedish Elite league Champions, Lejonen.

The Robins led throughout and withstood two well worked tactical rides from their Scandanavian opponents to register a morale boosting early season victory on what was a characteristically chilly Blunsdon evening.

Double figure returns from Leigh Adams, Troy Batchelor and a paid ten point haul from Jurica Pavlic provided the foundation for Swindon’s success. Adams notched his first maximum of the season and was in dominant mood throughout.

Incredibly, the Australian’s maximum against the Lions means the Robins’ skipper has dropped just a solitary point in all speedway competition since late December.

Firstly Adams was unbeaten in the three round Australian Championship, then notched a perfect haul at Perth’s Western Big One, dropped one point in Swindon’s sixtieth celebration meeting before registering a flawless twelve points against Lejonen.

The thirty seven year old did have to work for his points though and executed two scintillating passing manoeuvres during the course of the evening.

Elsewhere, Jurica Pavlic bounced back from Sunday’s below par showing to register three successive heat wins whilst the Queensland firebrand, Troy Batchelor, quickly eased back into Blunsdon’s wide open spaces.

Simon Stead enjoyed a decent night’s work and showed plenty of tenacity as he notched a seven point score that was limited by an mechanical failure in his fourth outing.

Travis McGowan registered his first Blunsdon heat win of the evening as he collected six points whilst the lively reserve pairing of Stojanowski and Fisher impressed greatly.

In particular Fisher whose speed and style looks set to prove popular on the Blunsdon terraces in 2009.

Lejonen we’re well served by Chris Holder who contributed a well deserved fourteen point score which included a heat eleven tactical ride victory.

Fellow Australian Davey Watt, a proven Blunsdon performer, notched thirteen points whilst former Robins’ rider Sebastian Ulamek collected paid seven.

Swindon conjured a ten point lead after the conclusion of heat ten but a well worked race seven tactical ride saw Lejonen slash the Robins’ advantage to five points.

Swindon's lead was bolstered to fifteen points after ten but Lejonen hit back again with a tactical ride from Chris Holder and Tomasz Jedrzeak. However, more heat advantages for Swindon ensued in heats twelve and fourteen as Swindon cantered to victory.