PIRATES new boy Adrian Gomolski has praised Bjarne Pedersen for loaning him his bikes ahead of their Craven Shield meeting at Lakeside tonight (8pm).

The 20-year-old Pole, called up into Poole Castle Cover's team in place of Craig Boyce, was "gutted" the Dorset club's shield meeting was rained-off at Peterborough last night.

But talking in the Showground pits after referee Mick Bates had confirmed the track was waterlogged, Gomolski said: "I'm really looking forward to riding at Lakeside, even though I know it is a small track.

"Bjarne has been a big help to me because I will be riding his bikes at Lakeside and at Eastbourne on Saturday.

"I only have two bikes in Poland and they are needed over there at the moment.

"However, maybe I will be able to get them here in time for the meeting at Poole on Wednesday.

"Bjarne's mechanic has been helping me and the bikes are very good, very fast. I know that because I had a practice at Poole on Wednesday.

"The engines will be set up for small tracks and I can't thank Bjarne and his mechanic enough for doing that for me."

Gomolski, whose father Jacek was a top-flight rider for Gniezno and Bydgoszcz in Poland for 19 years, will be making his rain-delayed British debut tonight.

Adrian, who currently rides for Gniezno, said: "I have never ridden in England before but all the best riders come to England to start out and I want to do that as well.

"I don't know what to expect at Lakeside or Eastbourne, but I will try my best and see how it goes.

"I wanted to come to England and now I'm here. I'm very happy I've been asked to ride for Poole. I must thank Matt Ford and my manager Pavel Ruszkievicz for fixing this opportunity up.

"Now I must try and show people what I can do because I would like to ride in Britain, Sweden and Poland regularly in the future.

"I don't know how I will do but every point I get will be good, especially as it is my first time in England."

Pirates should have Pedersen and Jason Crump back on duty tonight after they had to ride in the Swedish League play-offs last night.

Poole take a commanding 52-29-27 lead over Reading and Lakeside into their Craven Shield second leg tie, which involves Peterborough and Lakeside tonight.

Jordan Frampton, meanwhile, will ride at reserve for the Dorset club at Eastbourne in the Elite League tomorrow because Steve Boxall, Tai Woffinden and Richie Hawkins are all unavailable.

A Pirates Select will host a Vicrown Development Select at Wimborne Road on Wednesday in a challenge from which a percentage of the gate receipts will go to Boyce.

Boyce will skipper a Poole team including Edward Kennett, Troy Batchelor, Jason Doyle, Boxall, Gomolski and one rider to be announced.

Danish rider Dane Casper Wortmann will line up for Vicrown, but Pirates chief Ford has made it clear it is not with a view to signing the 19-year-old.

Davey Watt, Adam Shields, Cameron Woodward, Eric Andersson, Woffinden and one other rider will complete the Vicrown team.

Tonight's line-up, Pirates: 1 B Pedersen, 2 A Gomolski, 3 J Crump, 4 J Doyle, 5 E Kennett, 6 T Batchelor.

Peterborough: 1 H Andersen, 2 P Swiderski, 3 N-K Iversen, 4 D King, 5 K Bjerre, 6 C Hefenbrock.

Lakeside: 1 A Jonsson, 2 K Kasprzak, 3 A Shields, 4 L Lanham, 5 R Kling, 6 A Messing.