PIRATES WITHOUT TOP THREE RIDERS - UPDATE

The ReadyPower Pirates are in track action again on Monday but will do so without any of their top THREE riders.

After confirming that Skipper Hans Andersen and Polish star Krzysztof Buzckowski would  both be side-lined for tonight's meeting, Poole boss Matt Ford then took a call advising that Chris Holder has been forced to pull out after crashing in the final heat of his play-off meeting in Poland on Sunday, re-damaging his wrist that he broke last year.

Andersen who suffered a hand injury last Monday evening has been absent from the Poole side since being withdrawn at Leiceseter and that forced the Dane to miss out on the GP challenge at Vetlanda on Saturday night.

Buzckowski rode in that meeting but was struggling with a wrist injury which he actually sustained also at Leicester and Poole boss Matt Ford was contacted on Sunday by Buczkowski's representative Krystian Plech advising that the Pole has been advised to rest the wrist.

Ford states "The full extent of injury to the wrist during last Monday's meeting at Leicester when he suffered several falls was unclear and because he was so determined to ride in Saturday's GP Challenge he chose to make nothing of the pain he was suffering."

"But according to Krystian, "Buzz" was struggling in Sweden and decided to seek medical advise after that meeting and he could be out for a period of seven to ten days. Buzz is determined to try and make that the minimum for he feels that with such key matches coming up he wants to be involved with the Pirates."

"This is far from an ideal situation but we have had to re-shuffle our side and I am grateful to Nicolai Klindt for stepping in at short notice. Scott Nicholls also guests and we will use the rider replacement facility for Chris. 

"Chris has been for x-rays and thankfully this morning's report is that it appears nothing is broken but he has restricted movement in it. He has already booked some intensive physio to try and improve the condition and we will be monitoring the situation ahead of Wednesday's home meeting against King's Lynn.

Wolves are currently two points above Poole in the league standings having ridden two more matches than the Pirates and only have one more meeting after Monday to fulfil. But having out-stripped the Pirates by 20 points when Poole were last at Monmore Green the Pirates know they face a Herculean task to reel the Wolves in as the bulk of their remaining meetings are away from home.

Bjarne Pedersen who continues to operate at reserve despite having a similar average to that of Brady Kurtz, will captain the team in Andersen's absence.

Wolverhampton have named a full one to seven which includes their latest recruit the reigning world champion Tai Woffinden and will welcome back Sam Masters after he missed their Bank Holiday Double header.

Teams (from)

Wolverhampton: Peter Karlsson, Freddie Lindgren, Sam Masters, Jacob Thorssell, Tai Woffinden, Max Clegg, Kyle Howarth - Team manager: Peter Adams

Poole: , Adam Ellis, Rider Replacement for Chris Holder, Nicolai Klindt (guest), Scott Nicholls (guest), Bjarne Pedersen, Brady Kurtz, Kyle Newman - Team manager: Neil Middleditch.