POOLE need to avoid defeat against Belle Vue today so they don’t set an embarrassing and unwelcome new club record.

If the struggling Dorset side lose for a third successive time at home it will also be their ninth Elite League reverse in a row.

That would surpass the club’s previous worst ever runs of eight consecutive league defeats during their proud 61-year history.

Poole have lost that many times in a row four times now since their formation in 1948 – in 1982, 1998, 2005 and now 2009.

Pirates chief Matt Ford, meanwhile, has elaborated on why he let new signing Ales Dryml’s predecessor Lukasz Jankowski go after only eight matches.

The Wimborne Road supremo said: “I’m lost for words as to why it didn’t happen for Lukasz at Poole after he rode so well in our New Year Classic.

“We all felt he could achieve the (five-plus) average he was achieving at Belle Vue last year before he broke his shoulder and was out for seven months.

“I think, maybe, serious accidents like that take longer to get over than you first think.

“It’s been very hard for him, and we hope he comes back stronger when he gets his confidence back.”

Pirates: Pedersen, Dryml, Screen, Davidsson, Holder, Piszcz, Hurry.

Belle Vue: Kasprzak, Wright, Ostergaard, Forsberg, Gjedde, Risager, P.Hougaard.