PIRATES look set to begin their Elite League campaign at Birmingham on Monday without Rafal Dobrucki.

Wimborne Road supremo Matt Ford acknowledged yesterday he feared the Pole was unlikely to ride in this country because of issues regarding the sport’s controversial new silencers.

So Poole Castle Cover’s chief is likely to use Jason Doyle as permanent cover for Dobrucki, with injured Darcy Ward re-instated into the team.

Ford said: “Time is running out. We’re at the 11th hour and I have to make a decision.

“I appreciate Rafal’s position. He’s an excellent rider and a very good man, but he’s still stuck between a rock and a hard place and I have to look out for the club first.

“With Darcy set to return in two weeks, I can’t take any risks, so there’s a chance I will re-declare our team with Jason in it, taking Rafal’s place, and Darcy also back in.

“If I didn’t do that and we took another injury with Rafal still in our one-to-seven, it would be an unacceptable position to be in for a minimum of 28 days before we could change it.

“Darcy has been in the oxygen chamber a few times and his broken collarbone is healing very quickly.

“He has to go back to the specialist in 12 days to have the cast removed from his broken wrist and another X-ray.

“If that proves successful, he can make his comeback, thereby only missing one league meeting.

“In the meantime, we could use rider replacement for Darcy, while Jason showed against Eastbourne that he can fill the void. He was unlucky to be excluded from one race at Arlington and got paid nine at home.”

Davey Watt and Dennis Andersson lead Poole’s charge against Wolves, Oxford and Belle Vue in Adam Skornicki’s testimonial at Monmore Green tomorrow (4pm).