NEIL Middleditch has leapt to Kyle Newman’s defence after the Pirates reserve had his ambition questioned by Coventry boss Gary Havelock.

In an exchange on Twitter, Havelock was asked by a fan why the Bees’ Jason Garrity was no longer a draft rider but Newman was.

Havelock replied: “The only answer I could give you is that JG is ambitious and wants to get to the top. KN is not??”

Elite League rules were tweaked over the winter to give tier-one reserves such as Newman the chance to move up into the main body of teams after four meetings.

Garrity and Newman were among the top flight’s most potent reserves last term with the former starting this season as a second-string rider for the Bees, contributing just eight points in three meetings so far.

Addressing Havelock’s tweet, Pirates team manager Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “I thought it was a bit uncalled for. It’s not like Kyle is going to stay in the reserve berths for the whole season.

“Why start in the main body of the team and get beaten race after race which is what Jason is doing?

“Although Jason is still a very capable rider, he is finding it tough and I’m sure he will admit that. If you are used to scoring well at reserve as he did last year and then suddenly you are only scoring twos and three, it saps your confidence.

“Kyle has the luxury of starting at reserve, banging in some good scores and getting his confidence up. And if he does make it into the main body of the team, he will hope to stay there.

“With the way the rules are structured this year, there is no lack of ambition on Kyle’s behalf. He has made it known that he wants to get into the main body of the team.”

Newman himself echoed Middleditch’s sentiments when he responded directly to Havelock’s tweet, stating: “Doesn’t matter where you start the season, matters where you finish it...”

The Poole-born ace has started the season in fine style, pouching a paid maximum in Pirates’ Elite Shield first leg win against Coventry before notching seven paid eight in the second leg.

The 24-year-old added a seven paid nine haul in the Elite League opener against Swindon on Good Friday.

Newman’s Poole team-mate Hans Andersen has also made a strong start to 2016 and scored well on the continent on Monday.

Andersen racked up 11 paid 12 in Lodz’s 51-38 defeat at Rzeszow in the Polish Speedway League.

In the absence of Krzysztof Kasprzak, the Dane has been booked to guest for old club Coventry in the Bees’ trip to Swindon tonight.

Poole reserve Adam Ellis, who earned his first paid maximum in the Elite League against Swindon, has also been booked to guest for Coventry.