POOLE Pirates promoter Matt Ford is unlikely to tinker with his team despite being in the dark over crocked star Shamek Pawlicki’s prognosis.

Pawlicki was withdrawn from yesterday’s meeting at Leicester with a suspected broken collarbone having hit the air fence during heat five of Poole’s 45-45 Elite League draw.

Having spent last night in hospital, Ford said that the Pole was due to travel back to Dorset today and would stay in the UK for treatment with Ipswich-based specialist Brian Simpson.

The Wimborne Road chief has yet to establish Pawlicki’s exact diagnosis but admitted he was preparing for up to six weeks without his heat leader and despite the uncertainty still hoped he would be back in time for the play-offs.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “It was a real blow for us. We’re not 100 per cent whether it is his collarbone but we believe it is a break to either that or his shoulder blade.

“As I understand it, Shamek intends to stay in the UK and have some work done with Brian Simpson who is an expert with these injuries. His clinic gets all kind of sportsmen back quicker than they normally would and his assistance could be crucial.

“I wouldn’t like to put a definitive time frame on things before speaking with Shamek but there will certainly be a period of inactivity and it’s usually anywhere between two and six weeks if it is a collarbone.

“I have known riders come back within a fortnight in the past but others have taken longer. It’s so unpredictable.”

On prospective replacements, Ford added: “It’s the business end of the season now so if someone becomes available then we may look at it but, initially, I’m inclined to go with guests.

“That shouldn’t be a problem because Shamek has a seven-point average for the rest of the month so we should be fairly well covered.

“If we can get him fit for the play-offs then that is what we would prefer to do. We have already sent out a message to one or two riders about stepping in on Wednesday.”