The struggling city side emerged from a seriously tough test against the title-chasing Robins with pride firmly intact – and that is not something Panthers sides have managed too often while amassing a 20-match, 100 per cent losing record at this particular venue.

But after praising his makeshift team's battling qualities and determined effort at Blunsdon, Panthers chief Trevor Swales couldn't help thinking of what might have been.

Fielding only five permanent riders, and having had to call on Coventry man Rory Schlein (a rider having a torrid season for his regular club) to guest at number one, few would have given Panthers any hope at their most unsuccessful outpost.

But those who predicted an avalanche of points going against the Peterborough racers were soon altering their calculations as a team marooned in the relegation zone ran their hosts from the right end of the Elite League standings rather closer than expected.

And but for a couple of damaging triple-whammies the outcome might have been very different and a day which began with star rider Hans Andersen agreeing a move to Coventry could have ended with a giant step towards safety.

Panthers were reeling after three successive 5-1 maximums turned a handy position after three heats into a 12-point mountain to climb.

They successfully accomplished that challenge as Kenneth Bjerre put his loathing of the Wiltshire track to one side when leading home partner Henning Bager for a morale-boosting 8-1 in heat seven.

But Swales' men were then guilty of committing a second speedway sin by falling to three more heavy heat defeats in succession that saw the hosts' advantage grow to a whopping 15 points.

All hope of an unlikely success was lost at that point, but Panthers refused to lay down and die.

Instead they mounted a stirring response through the final five heats that brought respectability to the scoreline and made sure pride was the main emotion being felt by their boss.

"The lads were a bit down after the meeting because it felt so near, yet so far," admitted Swales. "But we proved we do have the ability to win at Swindon and next year we will be doing out utmost to make it happen.

"It was a meeting which featured some really good racing and we certainly played our part."

Bjerre topped the Panthers scorechart with a decent dozen boosted by his successful double-points mission in the seventh contest, while Schlein (11), fellow guest Ryan Fisher (7) and Bager (5+2) provided the main support.

And it was those guests at opposite ends of the Panthers order that drew most praise from Swales.

He added: "Rory put in a first-class performance and I can't thank him enough for taking the booking at such short notice. I didn't even make contact with him until late on Wednesday night after Simon Stead had pulled out through injury, but he was prepared to drop everything to race and did a smashing job.