ACE reserve Jason Gage was the difference between a dramatic success and an unexpected home slip-up.

Gage roared to a smashing 11+4 points as the city side were pushed to the limit by a Robins outfit that had been blown away on their earlier visit to Alwalton 14 years ago.

Both teams were without key men – Ronni Pedersen missing for Panthers and Swindon travelling without Tony Langdon – but it was Gage who became the pivotal figure.

He teamed up with Ryan Sullivan for a timely 5-1 in heat 14 before the same duo were on the receiving end of a 4-2 in the penultimate contest to leave the hosts going into the finale with a single point advantage.

Gage thought his night's work was done at that point, but he soon found himself rushing back out onto the track.

Richard Hellsen – the only Panthers man to defeat near-invincible Swindon star Tony Olsson – contrived to break through the tapes at the start of heat 16 and was promptly given his marching orders by the referee.

Luckily Gage was on hand to take his place and packed in for the minor places alongside partner Sam Tesar as Panthers sneaked home by the slenderest of winning margins.

Panthers had boasted a four-point lead early on but that was wiped out when Sullivan came down in heat five.

Tesar and Eric Monaghan immediately restored the lead with a sixth race maximum and another in the eighth installment (when both Swindon riders failed to finish) left the hosts seven points to the good.

But Olssons – that's Tony and Patrik – won the next four races as the Robins reduced their arreas to a point and Patrik played a minor role behind David Blackburn in heat 13 when a Swindon 4-2 gave them the edge for the first time.

It set up a grandstand finish in which golden Gage was a hero for Panthers.

Scores

Panthers: Sam Tesar 12, Jason Gage 11+4, Ryan Sullivan 8+2, Richard Hellsen 8, Eric Monaghan 7+1, Scott Nicholls 2, Rider replacement for Ronni Pedersen.

Swindon: Tony Olsson 16+1, David Blackburn 11, Patrik Olsson 11, Gary Chessell 5+1, Glenn Cunningham 4+1, Henk Bangma 0, Rider replacement for Tony Langdon.