HOMETOWN boy Danny Warwick believes he now possesses the necessary “experience” to be able to handle the added pressure of performing at his best in front of family and friends.

Six years ago, when the Buccaneers star was just starting out in speedway, he rode six matches for Pirates in the British League Cup – four at Poole Stadium.

But it was fledgling days in his racing career, and by his own admission the then 19-year-old struggled to cope with riding in front of people he was more used to standing alongside on the terraces.

That’s not surprising, really, when you consider no Poole-born rider has ridden regularly in the top three tiers at Wimborne Road since Martin Willis had done for Pirates in 1995.

Only Jordan Frampton, in 2007 and 2008, for Poole, and Kyle Newman, for Buccaneers, this year, had also taken the plunge to move from one side of the fence to the other since then.

Now Warwick has re-joined them, after his brief stint with Pirates in 2003, when he also rode home and away challenge matches against Workington, and as a guest for Poole against Belle Vue in the Elite League at Wimborne Road.

And, ahead of Bournemouth Castle Cover’s home National League clash against Scunthorpe tomorrow, he said: “I remember those meetings for Poole fondly.

“Poole are a team I have always supported from when I was a young child.

“It’s tough riding in front of your hometown crowd, especially your family and friends, when you are young.

“But I’m 25 and I have more experience now. So I won’t have quite the same pressure on me from my family and friends again.”

Warwick, born in Poole Hospital and brought up in Canford Heath, returned to Dorset after being dropped by Premier League outfit Berwick last month.

He marked his Buccaneers’ debut with a hard earned eight paid 10 haul in their 56-36 home league triumph over Weymouth.

That meant he easily toppled his four paid seven return from four home BLC clashes against Trelawny (4:1+1), Exeter (3:2+1), Wolves (3:0) and Somerset in 2003!

Looking back, Warwick, who also got two paid three apiece at Newport and Exeter in 2003 away cup ties, added: “I had some good meetings and bad meetings for Poole that year, but I learnt a lot from the experience.

“I don’t think I got a medal because I missed the last part of the season with a broken shoulder. I missed all the celebrations when Poole won the cup in the final.

“So if I can get some silverware with the Buccs this year it will make up for that.”

Warwick, whose complete record for Pirates in all meetings six years ago was M 9 R 31 Pts 8 Bp 5 T 13 CMA 1.68, makes his second appearance for Bournemouth tonight as they aim to stretch a seven-match winning start to the season.

Buccaneers: 1 Danny Warwick, 2 Andrew Aldridge, 3 Jay Herne, 4 Mark Baseby, 5 Kyle Newman, 6 Jerran Hart, 7 Aaron Baseby.

Scunthorpe: 1 Simon Lambert, 2 Kyle Howarth, 3 Richard Franklin, 4 Byron Bekker, 5 Scott Richardson, 6 Adam Wrathall, 7 Ashley Morris.

Herne misses the return at Scunthorpe on Friday because he rides for Somerset in the Premier League, with Buccaneers using rider replacement.

Scunthorpe: 1 Bekker, 2 Howarth, 3 Franklin, 4 James Sarjeant, 5 Richardson, 6 Wrathall, 7 Morris.

Buccaneers: 1 Warwick, 2 Aldridge, 3 Rider replacement for Herne, 4 M Baseby, 5 Newman, 6 A Baseby, 7 Hart.