PIRATES have drafted in guest Niels-Kristian Iversen after injury victim Darcy Ward was ruled out of the trip to Wolverhampton on Monday.

Number one Ward will be unable to feature in the Elite League clash as he continues his recovery from a nasty track spill on Wednesday night.

X-rays this week confirmed that Ward had escaped without broken bones in his left hand following a heat-10 smash during the win over King’s Lynn at Wimborne Road.

But the 20-year-old Australian is still in pain so Pirates chief Matt Ford has swooped to recruit cover in the shape of Stars spearhead Iversen.

Ford said: “The full extent of Darcy’s injury is still not clear but it is evident that he will not be fit for Monday night.

“We have therefore called upon Niels-Kristian Iversen to guest for us and while a fully fit, on-song Darcy Ward is virtually irreplaceable, I do feel that in Niels we have a decent stand-in. I would like to thank Niels for accepting the booking.”