FRUSTRATED Hans Andersen pulled out of Pirates' season-ending meeting before admitting a shadow had been cast by the injury which wrecked his play-off hopes.

The experienced Dane sustained a broken finger on his clutch hand after colliding with Poole guest Max Fricke during the defeat at Leicester at the end of August.

There was no swift comeback for the former Grand Prix star, who admitted he would rather have broken his leg given the more straightforward – if lengthier – nature of the recovery.

Andersen, replaced in the Pirates line-up by Swedish flier Antonio Lindback, made an unsuccessful return to action when he scored just three points for promotion-chasing Polish club Lodz at the end of last month.

The 35-year-old had been scheduled to ride in Friday's Blue Riband at Wimborne Road. But he has elected to sit out the meeting and accept his season is at an end.

Andersen told the Daily Echo: "I'm not going to ride. Apart from the meeting in Poland, it's been six or seven weeks since I rode a bike so I've decided to call it quits for the season.

"There is a saying that you are only as good as your last race. Having not been on the bike for seven weeks, my performance would be different to what it would be if I were race-fit.

"I don't want to go into the winter break with people thinking I am rubbish."

Reflecting on the premature end to his British season, Andersen admitted he had a sense of unfinished business given his injury and Poole's exit from the Elite League play-offs at the semi-final stage.

Andersen said: "It's just such a bad way to finish. I enjoyed my time at Poole and we mostly had a good season. With me suddenly getting injured, it put a black shadow over the season for me.

"Normally, when it comes to the end of the year, you are a bit fed up with racing and you can't wait for the season to end.

"I'm left with an odd feeling over having to put my steel shoe on the shelf. It just feels wrong that the season is finished. There is so much unfinished business."

Andersen added: "I've hurt my hands quite a few times in the past without breaking stuff and the hands are just so vital.

"I would rather just break a leg – at least you know how long you are going to be out. You never know with fingers because there are so many things that can play up.

"Getting injured was very frustrating and being captain of the side, I was stressed out. I said in the winter I was fed up of racing against Poole and if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. One of my main reasons for joining Poole was to win the league again.

"I'm happy to have made the play-offs for five years in a row but I'd rather have won the trophy."