Lee Richardson shone once again at the Abbey Stadium but it wasn't enough to prevent Eastbourne Eagles falling to a 48-42 Craven Shield defeat at Swindon last night.

Eagles' skipper Richardson, on loan at Arlington from the Robins for the season, chalked up paid 12 on his return, but the visitors were unable to claim a valuable away win against last year's Shield runners-up, for whom skipper Leigh Adams was his usual dominant self.

Great Britain captain Scott Nicholls was also a heavy scorer with paid 11 in a meeting where the Eagles were always in touch, but despite edgng the heat count 8-7, they were never quite able to provide the back-up needed to trouble the hosts, five of whom were making their home Swindon debuts.

Reserves Simon Gustafsson and James Brundle were outgunned by home counterparts Theo Pijper and Seb Alden, while young Brits Lewis Bridger and Edward Kennett enjoyed mixed fortunes.

After an 11-point defeat in Monday's first leg at Eastbourne, Swindon made the perfect start by claiming maximum points from the opening heat.

Adams blasted clear from the line, but behind him Mads Korneliussen superbly held off the threat of Nicholls to clinch second place.

Eastbourne narrowed the deficit as Brundle won the reserves' heat, with Gustafsson splitting the home pair of Pijper and Alden in third.

The next three were shared as a quick-looking Troy Batchelor brushed off his inconsistent display at Arlington Stadium by blitzing Richardson, then Kennett bagged the fourth in front of Travis McGowan, Alden catching and passing Brundle on the line.

Nicholls picked up his first win in five, James Wright and Batchelor filling the minor places, before Robins stretched their advantage on the night as Adams superly nursed Korneliussen to victory and a second 5-1 of the evening.

Eagles hit straight back though, Woodward and Richardson easily taking the next as the home pair of McGowan and Pijper crawled out of the start gate.

Bridger picked up his first points in eight, but the gap stayed at two as Alden and Korneliussen filled the next two spots.

But the home side stretched away in nine and 10 as first Batchelor and Wright clinched a one-two, Eagles' Kennett falling while in pursuit.

Then Adams saw off last year's teammate Richardson, while Korneliussen's third place kept the gap at eight points and prevented the Eagles from using a tactical ride.

Eastbourne clawed some of that back as Nicholls battled past an improving McGowan and Bridger held off a determined challenge from Pijper to grab third in 11.

And Richardson got the visitors' seventh heat win next up, but the gap remained at six as Alden and Batchelor led home Gustafsson.

The big-hitters' heat 13 was also shared as Adams eased hom in front of Nicholls and Kennett and Woodward claimed the penultimate race, which was stopped and awarded after concerns over the pit gate's safety fence.

With Swindon assured of victory, the final heat was little more than routine, but home skipper Adams still produced a simply stunning pass on the quick-starting pair of Nicholls and Richardson to complete his own paid maximum.

Swindon: Leigh Adams 14+1, Mads Korneliussen 7+2, Troy Batchelor 8+2, James Wright 6+1 Travis McGowan 5, Theor Pijper 3+1, Seb Alden 5+1.

Eastbourne: Scott Nicholls 10+1, Lewis Bridger 4. Lee Richardson 11+1, Cameron Woodward 7+1, Edward Kennett 5+1, Simon Gustafsson 2, James Brundle 3