CAN PIRATES PROVE TO BE PARTY POOPERS?

CURRENT league toppers Wolverhampton are celebrating their 90th Anniversary on Monday when they host the 'Volvo Cars' Poole Pirates in a SGB Premiership fixture.

With the Wolves promotion planning plenty of extra attractions for the holiday occasion, basement side Poole will be looking to 'spoil the party' as they go in search of some much needed league points.

The Pirates dropped two points at Wimborne Road last Wednesday when the two clubs met, the draw firmly anchoring the Pirate ship in 8th place, a point adrift of Rye House. During that affair, the home side lost the services of Stefan Nielsen with a broken leg in just his fourth appearance for the club and so have called upon Paul Starke to stand-in temporarily for them whilst promoter Matt Ford reviews his options longer term.

"It is terribly said to lose Stefan as he was slotting into the Poole side exceptionally well but I am grateful to Starkey for agreeing to provide cover whilst we decide which way to go with our team building. We sit at the bottom of the table and can't afford to lose much more ground if we are going to make the play-offs, which we are determined to do. At the moment we continue to come up against obstaclesbut hopefully things should become much clearer for us once the new averages come into force."

"It is a big day for Wolverhampton tomorrow as they mark their 90th anniversary but that doesn't stop me wanting to go there and pull-off what would, by all accounts, be regarded as a massive shock,  but to do that we have to be much sharper than we have been so far this season. It is not the easiest track to ride and they are so good at punishing any mistakes and also have riders currently on the top of their game, so we will certainly have to raise ours."

This will be Poole's second visit to the Monmore Green circuit this term having lost 36-54 first time there, back in April, the Pirates managing just one heat advantage and two race winners all evening.

Monday's meeting will start at the slightly later time of 8pm with gates opening at 7pm. The World Championship winning bikes of Sam Ermolenko and Greg Hancock will be on display alongside a number of race jackets throughout the club’s history.

There will be a 210 Battery Light Gun display also with a free bouncy castle also available for younger supporters and a special 90th Anniversary Souvenir Programme has been produced.

Teams (from)

WOLVERHAMPTON - J. Thorssell, K. Howarth, C. Heeps, S. Masters, R. Schlein, N. Greaves, A. Morris - Team Manager Peter Adams
POOLE - B. Kurtz, L. Sundstrom, J. Grajczonek, K. Woryna, R. Worrall, M. Szczepaniak, P. Starke - Team Manager Neil Middleditch