Pirates: Ford sweats on Pawlicki injury (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pirates: Ford sweats on Pawlicki injury

10:59pm Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in Sport

PIRATES were tonight sweating on the fitness of Polish star Piotr Pawlicki ahead of Monday’s Elite League play-off final first leg.

Pawlicki was involved in an ugly spill while racing for Piraterna in the Swedish play-offs.

Initial reports suggested the 17-year-old had suffered a dislocated shoulder, but that was unconfirmed as the Echo went to press.

Pirates look set to face Swindon in the opening leg of the grand final at the Abbey Stadium on Monday, with the Robins expected to progress from tomorrow’s semi-final second leg against Birmingham.

Poole Coastal Aluminium chief Matt Ford, meanwhile, says Dennis Andersson will have to prove his fitness before he is considered for a 2013 Wimborne Road return.

The young Swedish star is continuing his rehabilitation in his homeland after sustaining a broken leg while racing in Poland in August.

Andersson, a title winner with Poole last year, was agonisingly ruled out of Pirates’ Elite League play-off push this term after undergoing surgery to repair the damage.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “It was a serious injury and I honestly don’t know whether or not he will be fit to take his place at the start of next year.

“Clearly, for us to consider him, we would need him to show us he was completely fit, having caught a cold in 2009.”

Ford is wary of enduring the same fate as 2009 – when he felt pre and early-season injury woes “ruined” Pirates’ campaign.

He added: “I wouldn’t take that chance again and would need anyone to prove they were fit and on the pace straight away.”