MATT Ford insisted he had always planned to recruit a rider who could do damage at reserve.

Poole have started the SGB Premiership season with Elite League winner Nicolai Klindt and youngster James Shanes in the bottom two.

Klindt, a former Danish under-21 champion, has plenty of British experience having ridden on these shores in all but one season since 2008.

Puddletown-based Shanes, meanwhile, was signed on a 2.00 average, Ford soon after admitting the local lad was under "no pressure".

Discussing his team-building approach, Ford said: "I wanted someone who could score points at reserve and I feel we can carry James.

"If you look at the Jason Doyle situation at Swindon, it was tough for them to put together a competitive team.

"I didn't want to take the route that Wolves and Rye House did with two weak reserves.

"Everyone talks about Rye House's top five but no one talks about Rob Branford and Ellis Perks. It's the same with Max Clegg and Nathan Greaves at Wolverhampton.

"Those teams will not be able to change immediately. But we've got Nicolai Klindt."

The 28-year-old Klindt, lauded by many supporters as the snip of the off-season, won the top-flight crown with Wolves in 2009.