WHITE-hot racer Nicolai Klindt has laughed in the faces of critics who predict he will fail to deliver in Poole's top five, bullishly declaring: "Watch me struggle."

Hailed by many as the snip of the off-season, reserve Klindt has averaged nearly 12 points a meeting in his team's five outings so far.

The 28-year-old appears on course to leave Pirates' bottom two and he feels the fact reserves have a tougher race programme than last year means he will be well prepared to make any step up.

He told the Daily Echo: "I love that people are saying my true colours will show when I'm in the main body.

"If it was last year's league, I could understand that because if you were a reserve, you would only race against reserves and second-stringers.

"Now it's only heat two which is easy. The rest is against riders in the main part of the team.

"I don't care if people don't like me or if they think I'm not going to be good enough when I move into the main body. That doesn't bother me at all. Watch me struggle."

Klindt's bargain 5.42 average meant he was pursued by nearly every SGB Premiership team – including parent club Wolverhampton – during the winter.

The Outrup-born charger recorded that rating during a brief spell with Scunthorpe in the second tier, nearly a point worse than he managed with Leicester.

Klindt's second-tier average overrode his top-tier rating, in line with British speedway regulations, but the Pirates ace says he has still heard fans questioning the figure.

"The fact is I wasn't better than my 5.42 average when I did a month in the Premier League and that's the reason I got that average," he said.

"Richard Lawson got an 8.22 average in the Premier League and that is his new average in the Premiership. It's exactly the same.

"I'm in the same boat as everyone else, I was just rubbish in March and April last year. People think my average has been twisted and turned. They think it has been converted and that I was meant to have my Elite League average.

"I was struggling a lot when I was riding for Scunny but I was struggling in the Elite League as well.

"It wasn't until May when we sorted out a few issues and I started going better. But by that point I wasn't doing the Premier League.

"For the fans that are moaning, it's up to their promoters to make me interested enough to sign for them on that average."

Pirates take on Somerset home and away on Good Friday in their second and third league meetings.

Klindt added: "I've been to Somerset about four times and it's a track I really enjoy. I think I've only ever scored points there so I'm looking forward to going back."

Gates open for the home fixture against the Rebels at 9.30am, with an 11am start.