LAKESIDE 53 SWINDON 42LAKESIDE Hammers collected all three Elite League points at the hands of last year's play-off rivals Swindon. Inspired by a paid maximum from Jonas Davidsson, the home side raced into an early lead and weathered a mid meeting tactical fightback to hold on against their rivals.

LAKESIDE 53 SWINDON 42

LAKESIDE Hammers collected all three Elite League points at the hands of last year's play-off rivals Swindon.

Inspired by a paid maximum from Jonas Davidsson, the home side raced into an early lead and weathered a mid meeting tactical fightback to hold on against their rivals.

Davidsson continued the excellent form he showed against Coventry last Monday, defeating visiting number one Leigh Adams on two occasions on the way to his full score.

This was very much a team effort, though, as the whole side chipped in with at least a paid win. Reserve Robert Mear started with two race victories as he continued to show his talent grow with more exposure to his home circuit.

Swindon lost points early on when Simon Stead fell after an early getaway in the opening race and Stuart Robson's excellent pass on Travis McGowan in heat three kept the home side six points in front.

More good racing followed when the Hammers pairing of Mear and Nieminen reversed a Swindon 4-2 into one of their own in heat four, with Mear taking the opportunity to pass Stead on the run in to the line as the Robin went wide.

Hammers lost points when Lee Richardson fell whilst challenging Leigh Adams for the lead in heat five but Davidsson continued his barnstorming run to drive up the inside of Stead in heat six having missed the start.

An excellent first corner from Davidsson saw him drive around the outside of Adams in heat eight to huge cheers from the home crowd to put his side ten points to the good, which quickly became fourteen when Nieminen teamed up with Richardson for another maximum.

Robin's boss Alun Rossiter nominated previously unbeaten Jurica Pavlic for a tactical ride in the very next heat - only for Davidsson to thwart him from the tapes. Pavlic quickly reappeared in the next heat, joining double-pointed Adams for a full 8-1.

Pavlic's third consecutive ride was less fruitful, retiring whilst at the back as the Hammers hit back with a 5-1 of their own. From here on in the destiny of the league points was pretty much sewn up and Davidsson's fifth success ensured that even the extra point on offer was a done deal, leaving the result a forgone conclusion with the luxury of the final heat to come.