Coventry Bees had a last heat victory in a dramatic Elite League meeting against Swindon Robins tonight.
The Bees lost Heat one 4-2 with Chris Harris fighting back to get a second, the only positive from the opening heat at Brandon.
Heat two gave the visitors a 5-0 win when Josh Auty, who had scored over fifty points for Sheffield in his last four meetings, fell on lap two and was excluded. In the re-reun, Przemyslaw Pawlicki fell on a slippery track that Bees boss Alan Rossiter was struggling to explain.
The track saw Lewis Bridger, who had been brought in to replace Rory Schlein, take down Korneliussen and was excluded from the Heat Three re-run which Swindon won 4-2 thanks to Grzegorz Zengota getting back on his bike to finish for th extra point.
Stead and Jonassson ensured a 5-1 in Heat 5 and this forced Rossiter into a team meeting with his side 13 points down. Whatever, Swindon Town supporting Rossiter said worked as Bridger and Kennett earned a 3-3 and then Chris Harris took a tactical ride.
Harris and Ben Barker rode superbly to get an 8-1 win and this sparked Kasprzak and Pawlicki to get a 5-1 with Pawlicki and Barker then repeating the feat to have the Bees 26-24 ahead.
This was edge of the seats stuff and more action was provided in Heat nine when Lewis Bridger went out, leaving Ed Kennett to finish second and the 4-2 to the Robins tieing the match.
Chris Harris and Ben Barker cruised to a 5-1 win in Heat ten and with Kasprzak leading Heat 11, Josh Auty fought his way to third for a 4-2 which kept the Bees 37-31 up.
Kennett and Pawlicki stormed to a 5-1 so Robins boss Ronnie Russell went for a tactical ride for Lee Adams in Heat 13. The Swindon number one won that heat but Chris Harris was second to give Swindon a 7-2 that reduced the Bees lead to five points.
Swindon took a 4-2 in heat 14, leaving the Bees with a three point cushion going into the final heat. Chris Harris won the final heat with Ben Barker fourth to earn a 3-3 and give the Bees a thrilling 49-46 victory.
The Bees are now sixth in the table 4 points off the final play-off spot with Swindon, who got a consolation point from tonights meeting, seventh.
The Bees score sheet read as follows:
1. Chris Harris - 2, 6^, 3, 2, 3 = 16
2. Ben Barker - 0, 2', 3, 2', 0 = 7+2
3. Edward Kennett - 2, 2, 2, 2' = 8+1
4. Lewis Bridger - F/X, 1', 0, 3 = 4+1
5. Krzysztof Kasprak - 1, 3, 3, 0 = 7
6. Josh Auty (D-U) - F/X, 0, 2 = 2
7. Przemyslaw Pawlicki - F/X, 2', 2', 3, 0 = 7+2
Next Monday, the Bees travel to Belle Vue.