NEIL Middleditch reckons Pirates flier Kyle Newman is on an upward curve but admits the hometown hero is still not race fit.

Poole-born Newman has ridden in two SGB Premiership meetings after spending the first month of the league campaign on the sidelines with a fractured shoulder blade and muscle damage.

The 25-year-old scored four paid five in Poole's thumping home win against Rye House in May and bagged six paid eight from five rides in the draw at Leicester on Saturday.

Newman has had meetings with SGB Championship side Ipswich since his return but having agreed to guest for Peterborough at Scunthorpe on Sunday, he managed just two rides – scoring one paid two – before the Knockout Cup tie was abandoned.

Team manager Middleditch told the Daily Echo: "Kyle isn't really race fit at the moment. He has had a few meetings for Ipswich but he has not had enough track time, he needs to be on a bike.

"But it's nice to see him back and scoring a few points and the signs have been good so far.

"You know what you are going to get with Kyle. He scored some valuable points at Leicester and should be fairly pleased with what he did.

"The flashes were there. It was typical Kyle, he battled for four laps and never gave up, he got a few points and helped us get a draw."