SERGEY Darkin has apologised to Poole fans for what could be the joint worst club debut display and promised them it won't happen again.

The 33-year-old Russian suffered an on-track nightmare as he failed to score from four rides in Castle Cover Pirates' 49-41 home win over Eastbourne in midweek.

It is believed to be the joint worst performance by a Poole rider on his first appearance for the club in all matches since Pirates were formed in 1948 - 59 years ago.

Darkin then failed to get out of the gate due to mechanical problems in a specially arranged after-meeting race against Troy Batchelor and Craig Boyce to cap a dreadful night.

Speaking exclusively to the Echo, Darkin said: "Because of the visa problems I had getting into the country I only had a short practice of about 15 minutes on the Poole track before Wednesday night.

"I was trying my best, but it was the first time I had been on a motor bike for a long time. I was not in control of it and I didn't want to endanger the other riders."

Darkin, who was due to replace injured Mark Loram in Paul Fry's Testimonial meeting at Somerset on Friday, added: "I couldn't practice in Russia over the winter because of the freezing weather, so apart from a run out indoors in the Brighton Bonanza in December, I've been off the bike.

"I was also on a new engine, trying it out. It went okay, but I hadn't had enough practice and I was thinking if I go in hard, lift and get out of control, it will be bad.' I was thinking about the safety of the other riders.

"But I don't want the fans to worry about this because I know I can do much better than thatwhen I have more meetings and am race fit."

Darkin, who suffered the worst Poole four-ride debut since Andre Compton at Eastbourne in 2002, will also line up for Gniezno in Poland and Balakovo Turbina in Russia this year.

He is based in Togliatti in his homeland, which is 2,800 miles away from Poole, but will stay at his mechanic Steve Chilman's base in Cambridgeshire when he is in England.

Darkin, interviewed in English but with a lot of help from Chilman, said: "I'm really happy to be at Poole but I would have liked more preparation time.

"The first time I came here was on March 11 but couldn't get through customs at Heathrow and had to go back to Moscow to sort out the visa.

"That put me back but now I have two days training at Rybnik in Poland before Poole go to Belle Vue on Monday and that will do me good."

Darkin, who begins the league campaign on a 5.12 average, added: "I want to make it 6.50 which is normal for me and help Poole do well.

"Matt Ford, Mike Golding and Gordon Day have helped me a lot over the visa problem and I want to repay them by doing well for the Pirates.

"The Poole track is a normal sized one and I like to ride it, but I just want to say sorry to the Poole fans for my performance."

Other bad Poole debuts: S Darkin 4:0 v Eastbourne (h) 2007, 4:0 A Compton v Eastbourne (a) 2002, C Watson 4:0 v Eastbourne (h) 2000, D Meldrum 4:0 v Belle Vue (a) 1996, D Garrod 4:0 v Ipswich (a) 1995, J Gould 4:0 v Berwick (a) 1990.

B Howe 4:1 v Swindon (a) 1997, R Preston 4:1 v Reading (h) 1979, C Beltz 4:1 v Hackney (h) 1975, O Berg 4:1 v Oxford (h) 1974, E French 4:1 v Southampton (a) 1958, S Hazzard 4:1 v Tamworth (a) 1948.