Swindon walked away with a consolation league point from their 48-42 defeat at Leicester.
The Carpets 4 Less Robins got their SGB Premiership tally up and running on opening night in front of a packed crowd at Beaumont Park.
It was a nightmare start for the Blunsdon men after conceding a 5-1 in the first race, but a first top flight win from Zach Wajtknecht, who was seen home by Nick Morris, pulled the scores level after heat four.
With three heat advantages in four races for the hosts, Leicester opened up an eight point lead with eight gone, but a pair of 4-2s in the closing stages, both with Morris taking the chequered flag, saw the Robins do enough to claim a single league point.
Team manager Alun Rossiter said: “If I’m honest, I felt we could win here tonight so I’m actually a little bit disappointed.
“They’ve extended the corner at Leicester and it was a little bit dodgy and it caught a few of the riders out on both teams early doors.
“A few mistakes here and there and falling away a little bit in the middle part of the meeting has cost us that win but we have to look at the positives.
“We’ve come away from home and got ourselves a point on opening night and that can never be a bad thing.
“Nick (Morris) was flying, David (Bellego) and Emil (Grondal) were solid and what a moment for young Zach (Wajtknecht) winning his second ride as well.
“He’s managed that in his first meeting and that was a real encouraging sign I have to say.
“We know we’re capable of more but for now we’ll use the point as something to build on.
“Having said that, I also won’t take nothing away from Leicester; they rode well and Josh Bates in particular was on fire from reserve.
“We have to learn from a few things, build on the others and make sure we’re on it when Belle Vue come to The Abbey on Thursday!”
LEICESTER 48: Josh Bates 14+1, Lasse Bjerre 11, Kim Nilsson 10, Erik Riss 7+2, Nicolai Klindt 5+1, Kacper Gomolski 1, Danny Ayres 0.
SWINDON 42: Nick Morris 13+1, Jason Doyle 8+1, David Bellego 7, Emil Grondal 6+1, Zach Wajtknecht 4+1, Adam Ellis 3+3, Bradley Wilson-Dean 1.
