PIRATES team manager Neil Middleditch admitted he has faith in struggling Daniel Davidsson to pull his rapidly deteriorating form around.

The Swedish rider began the season on fire, culminating in a stylish 12-point, four-heat winning performance in a 48-42 home league victory over Swindon on March 30.

But since getting four from three rides in Poole’s remarkable 63-32 mauling against Coventry at Wimborne Road on April 15 – when Davidsson was also excluded from one race under the two-minute rule – his form has gone downhill rapidly.

Indeed, the Dorset club’s second string has bewilderingly only picked up six paid nine from 23 outings in six appearances since then.

It has left Davidsson tearing his hair out as to why everything has gone so dramatically wrong and Castle Cover Pirates’ management bemused by how a rider with such promise can seemingly go backwards so quickly.

The Swede underwent an extensive practice session in his homeland on Thursday to try and iron out his problems.

And Middleditch, whose side host Belle Vue in the Elite League today (3.30pm) at Wimborne Road, said: “Daniel’s really having a bad time at the moment.

“But we know what he is capable of doing and the only person who can get him out of the rut is himself.

“Daniel showed in our opening four matches of the season, when he got 5+1, 7+1, 12 and 7+1, that he can do it, although it’s very hard to lift yourself up when you don’t know what you are doing wrong.

“I have faith in Daniel to get out of it though.

“He was unlucky at Belle Vue last Monday when he was in |the wrong place at the wrong time when on a 3-3 with Joe Screen.

“Joe was in a good position in their second race but inadvertently picked up and blocked Daniel as they slipped to the back.

“That bit of bad luck came at the wrong time and was not good for Daniel’s confidence, but we know he can do the job for Poole starting against the Aces at home tonight.”