GUTTED Matt Ford last night confirmed that Pirates’ hopes of signing Mateusz Szczepaniak in an early-season reshuffle had been ruined by rain.

Poole Coastal Aluminium wanted to recruit the Polish rider in a bid to strengthen the lower end of their team.

But luckless Szczepaniak will not be returning to Wimborne Road after seeing the weather scupper his chances of donning the skull and crossbones.

Pirates had been expecting to have more team-building points to play with once Sam Masters had qualified for a new average.

But because the club’s past two home meetings were rained off, the Aussie ace has yet to meet the criteria, leaving Poole with no room for manoeuvre.

Szczepaniak had long been rumoured to fill a Pirates berth and even took his place at the club’s annual pre-season press and practice session.

But with Pirates unable to accommodate the 25-year-old, Szczepaniak has instead joined King’s Lynn after Ford helped him find an alternative Elite League ride.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “It was crucial that we held a home meeting before April 23 for Sam’s average to become applicable, using the additional points we would have had available to us.

“It now means that the new averages of Chris Holder, Darcy Ward, Dennis Andersson and Ricky Kling will come into effect from May 1 and because those averages have increased with our victories over Coventry, there isn’t anything we can do.

“Mat is a wonderful guy and I am absolutely gutted that we can’t get to use him.”

Rookie Todd Kurtz, recently snapped up by Plymouth, will continue at reserve for Pirates alongside a yet-to-be confirmed doubling-up rider.