7:00am Friday 3rd October 2008
By Phil Chard
DAVEY Watt has rued the fact he won't be able to come up against his best mate Adam Shields in the Elite League play-off final between Pirates and Lakeside.
Normally, the two riders - who both hail from Australia but are near neighbours in Poole - would be relishing the prospect of tussling with each other in such a crucial contest.
But Shields, sadly, is sidelined from the two-legged battle to determine speedway's champions after he sustained multiple injuries in a horror track spill at Peterborough while riding for Lakeside in August.
He is out for the rest of the season after his injuries included both a broken and fractured disc in his spine.
Hammers host the Dorset club in the first leg on Monday and Poole Castle Cover star Watt, pictured, said: "It would have been fantastic to race in a final against Adam.
"He's a great mate and it would have been interesting to see how we would both have made out.
"Adam's obviously very frustrated he has to miss out himself. Unfortunately it's not too be this time.
"Ironically, he will probably travel up with me to the Arena-Essex Raceway to be there and be a part of the final.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of banter flying about on the way up in my van. Everyone has worked so hard all year, and everyone in the Pirates team wants to put in a big effort for the big final.
"It's a big occasion we are all really looking forward too. It's just a shame Adam has to sit it out."
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