BUCCANEERS’ bosses want to be convinced Mark Baseby is 100 per cent fit before he returns to the saddle after he was forced to withdraw after only one ride in their 51-41 home win over Isle of Wight last night.

Baseby has not been firing on all cylinders since sustaining a knee injury in a fall at Rye House on May 23.

And he failed to complete more than two laps in heat three of Bournemouth Castle Cover’s triumph over the Islanders at Poole in the National League.

Baseby hit a pile of dirt on the first turn, his bike reared up violently and the Buccaneer was fortunate he was able to gain control of his machine again without falling off.

Bournemouth’s heat leader trundled round to the finish his second lap but quickly pulled onto the centregreen, got off his bike awkwardly and slumped to the ground in agony.

He was taken away in an ambulance, but didn’t go to Poole Hospital for an examination.

Buccaneers joint team manager Neil Vatcher said: “We are worried about Mark.

“He did his knee ligament in at Rye House a month ago and has been riding 70 per cent fit since.

“What Mark finds is that it is harder when a track is grippier.

“He guested for Isle of Wight at King’s Lynn two weeks ago. He was leading heat one and had to pull out, and it was the same tonight.

“I’ve spoken to his dad, Paul, and we feel between us that it is only fair for him that perhaps he needs to take a rest for a month to get Mark 100 per cent fit, rather than ride 70 per cent, which made it harder for everyone tonight when he only rode one race.

“It’s difficult on the other guys trying to cover his races.

“Fortunately, Aaron, his brother, got paid 15 which was a bonus.

“But next week against Weymouth in the Knockout Cup, when we have to pull back 16 points from the first leg, we need him 100 per cent fully fit or to be covering his rides with rider replacement, with everyone taking a ride apart from Danny Warwick.

“So we’ll have to talk to him during the week to sort out the best route for him and the team because next Thursday is a massive cup meeting for us.

“Mark didn’t go to hospital, but we’ll get on to him to see a doctor, maybe even a speedway specialist like Brian Simpson.”

Mark, who remained inside the stadium and watched the rest of last night’s meeting, said: “The track was a bit lumpy and I caught the edge of my toe on a pile of dirt, and the pain just shot up through my leg.

“The knee brace I’ve started to wear is giving a bit so perhaps I might have to get another one.

“It’s a bit of a shame because last night’s track was my sort of track.

“I’ll have to get this checked out, and it’s probably a bit of a long shot to return next week.

“I want to be doing a whole meeting. I don’t want to do one, two or three rides. I want to do all four and have a chance of going out in heat 15 as well.

“There’s no point aggravating my knee any more. I might have to miss out against Weymouth so I can rest it properly and be back fully fit rather than not 100 per cent.

“Thankfully, Aaron was brilliant tonight because someone had to do the job, and he did.

“That move in heat 12 to pass Chris Johnson was amazing. I would have been proud of that myself.

“He was on it tonight and I hope he can do it again in the next few meetings because we have a lot of points to pull back on Weymouth.”