Ford hails table-toppers, but admits injuries taking their toll

5/07/19

Danny Ford watched his No1 Carpet Cleaning Poole Pirates side reach the SGB Premiership summit but admitted their luck would need to change if they are to remain there.

The Pirates saw off King’s Lynn 49-41 at Wimborne Road last night with another patched up septet, the club’s injury woes refusing to go away.

Former Pirate Sam Masters stepped in to replace injured Brady Kurtz, the Aussie forced on to the sidelines for a second time this season following a crash in Sweden on Tuesday.

Richie Worrall, meanwhile, faces a long spell out following a coming together with team-mate Nico Covatti against Belle Vue on June 27 and Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen is racing but far from 100% after illness.

Ford confirmed Covatti was likely to be a short-term absentee having recovered well from chest injuries sustained against the Aces.

The Pirates, though, have hit form at a time of adversity, last night’s triumph over the Stars being their fifth straight Premiership win.

Ford said: “It’s been amazing how we’ve managed to string these results together with all the injury problems we’ve had and those could have been even worse as Josh Grajczonek was lucky to walk away from a, shall we say, controversial move by Craig Cook in heat 15 last night.

“I’d like to say long may that form continue now we’ve reached the top of the table alongside Ipswich, but history rightly reveals that it’s very difficult to maintain any kind of momentum without a regular one-to-seven.

“There are decisions to be made, but also our luck when it comes to injuries needs to change.

“We’ve had our share already, so hopefully that will be it now.”

Captain Josh Grajczonek’s impressive run of form continued against the Stars, the Aussie charger bagging paid 13 from six rides as the Pirates ran rider replacement for Worrall.

Nicolai Klindt matched Grajczonek with 11+2, while Jack Holder’s eight from four rides at number five was key alongside guest Ricky Wells’s paid 10 return.

Read a full report from last night’s meeting here.