CUP FINAL PREVIEW: Swindon Robins (41) v (49) Belle Vue Aces

SWINDON SPEEDWAY have a chance to make history tonight as they welcome the Belle Vue Aces to the Abbey Stadium in the second leg of the Premiership Supporters Cup. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker previews the cup clash.

Suffering a 49-41 defeat in the first leg of the grand final at the National Speedway Stadium last week means the Swindon Robins will have to come from behind tonight as the club seek to pick up their first silverware of the season. 

But against a strong Belle Vue lineup featuring Grand Prix star Max Fricke, Alun Rossiter’s side will have to be at their best from the get-go as the Robins attempt to claw back a nine-point deficit. 

A controversial first-leg sees Mark Lemon’s Aces head into tonight's meeting with a healthy lead intact, however, Swindon will be confident of overturning the deficit on their home track having not suffered a defeat there all season. 

Belle Vue travel to Wiltshire having endured a difficult season with the Manchester-based outfit failing to make the playoffs after inconsistency has seen them fail to build momentum. But a strong Premiership Supporters Cup campaign means the Aces still have a chance of lifting silverware this season. 

Having raced each other five times this season so far, Belle Vue have won three times, with Swindon accumulating two home victories. However, in each of those victories, the Robins have dominated proceedings winning with a lead of 20 and 26 points respectively on both occasions. 

Swindon Team Manager Alun Rossiter will be confident of overturning the points deficit tonight having recorded such big wins over the Aces previously this season but with nothing left to race for this season, Mark Lemon will be expecting a big performance from his Aces.

Swindon’s top five will be expected to score their usual big points that Swindon fans have come to expect this season, but the battle for the trophy will tonight be won, or lost, on the performance of the Robins reserves. 

Ellis Perks and Claus Vissing have both struggled at times this season but a strong end to the Robins programmed league meetings saw the reserve duo score strong at the Abbey Stadium. However, with a strong reserve pairing of their own in both Dimitri Berge and Jaimon Lidsey, Swindon will undoubtedly be put to the test in this department. 

Big names at the top of the Aces squad including Max Fricke, Kenneth Bjerre, and Steve Worrall, should provide a competitive edge to the racing, but having struggled to get to grips with the Blunsdon track on previous visits, Robins fans should expect Swindon’s top order to square up the aggregate relatively early on in tonights meeting. 

The Premiership Supporters Cup has enjoyed mixed success in its debut season as British Speedway attempts to attract a new and younger audience to our beloved motorsport. And while there is not a blueprint to success in this area, an action-packed grand final will go some way to entertaining the bumper packed crowd at the Abbey Stadium. 

Swindon have had to come from behind in finals before, just take a look back to heroics of the title-winning season of 2017, and tonight is certain to be another fantastic night of speedway as the Swindon Robins once again seek to bring trophy success to Wiltshire. 

Prediction: Swindon lifts the title.