Swindon will endeavour to make Sky Sports Elite League history when they travel to Lakeside on Monday evening (29th September) for what promises to be a feisty Play Off Semi Final encounter.
Since the inception of the Play Offs an away club has failed to progress past the semi final stages. However, Alun Rossiter’s septet are the only team to have inflicted defeat a home league on Lakeside in 2008 when they roared to a superb 49-41 victory on Friday 8th August.
Whilst the on track action promises to enthral, off track tensions between the two clubs are already running high. Ahead of Monday's semi final, Swindon co-owner Gary Patchett has issued a statement regarding Lakeside's intention to use a guest rider for Jonas Davidsson.
Patchett said: "When I spoke to Jon Cook (Lakeside Team Manager) on Wednesday I asked whether Jonas Davidsson would be in the Lakeside team on Monday, given that he was scheduled to ride in Poland today (Sunday).
Jon Cook told me that regardless of the outcome of today's (Sunday) meeting Jonas would not ride on Monday.
He told me that he wasn't prepared to take any risks on what is Lakeside's most important meeting and that Jonas Davidsson would be present on Monday with a medical certificate, if necessary.
I told him that I thought we would have to challenge that decision and I requested that the Management Committee remove the facility for Lakeside to use a guest for Jonas in light of the fact that he is obviously fit to ride."
Lakeside Hammers:
1. Adam Shields R/R 2. Tomasz Jedrzejak 3. Andreas Jonsson 4. Leigh Lanham (C),5. Edward Kennett (guest) 6. Ricky Kling 7. Kauko Nieminen.
Swindon Robins:
1.Leigh Adams (C), 2. James Wright, 3. Jurica Pavlic 4. Troy Batchelor 5. Mads Korneliussen 6. Manuel Hauzinger (or, if unfit, Cory Gathercole)7.Travis McGowan.
Live coverage of the meeting is available on Sky Sports and BBC Radio Swindon.
Leigh Adams, Troy Batchelor and Jurica Pavlic warmed up for Monday's semi final at Lakeside in perfect style by guiding Leszno Bulls into the Polish Extraliga playoff final.
