PIRATES chief Matt Ford and team manager Neil Middleditch believe Karol Zabik needs to learn quickly from his heavy crash at Wimborne Road this morning.

Ford had already advised the young Pole in pre-season he needed to "calm down" and settle for a second place at times when that position, rather than first, would be better for the team.

But on a dusty track made extra tricky because it was slick and had little grip, the Poole Castle Cover management's worst nightmare happened when Zabik fell on his own in the penultimate race of the Dorset side's comfortable victory.

Going into the third bend of the last lap, the 21-year-old was in third place under no pressure from Edward Kennett behind him.

Rather than settle for the point, and earn Pirates a 4-2 alongside race winner Zibi Suchecki, Zabik's relative inexperience and over enthusiasm on a track he was riding for only the fourth time shone through.

He tried to find the extra grip to go outside Cameron Woodward, but only succeeded in rearing his bike, losing grip and flying spectacularly into the safety fence.

Fortunately, Zabik's trailing bike missed hitting him, so it was only his wrist that was damaged and will force him to sit out tonight's Arlington return.

It was a move the Pole should probably not have tried, but that is the racer in him, and all speedway riders for that matter.

Instead of a Poole 4-2, they ended up losing 5-3 as Kennett, in as a tactical substitute after starting off a 15-metre handicap, pipped Woodward to the line for second after the Australian had slowed up to allow his partner past.

Instead of leading 49-37, Pirates were only 48-40 in front, and Eastbourne, superbly led by 16-point Scott Nicholls, could quite easily have narrowed the gap even further in the final race.

They didn't, but that's not the point.

The point is Ford's warning went unheard, not because Zabik didn't want to accept the advice, but probably because he is so eager to make a favourable impression with Poole's fans early in the season.

Looking back on the incident, Ford said: "It's unfortunate Karol is just, perhaps, over riding a tiny bit at the moment.

"The point of saying accept what you have got' is to fight another day.

"Karol is just riding a little bit hard. He was a comfortable third. It's concentrating and not making silly mistakes."

Ford added: "It's a Craven Shield match, not the Elite League, but it just goes to show how careful all the riders need to be.

"Karol just needs to calm down a little."

Middleditch, who had a good view of the incident looking down the back straight from the pits, said: "Karol was just over trying a bit.

"There was a lot of dust about. He should have settled for the position he had.

"He just has to learn to back off. But he's still young and will learn."

Zabik's fall and injury, in front of a 4,000 crowd, took the gloss off a solid Pirates win in which Chris Holder was their pick.

He was the only rider able to down Nicholls' colours, expertly cutting across the Eagle going into the first bend and then foiling the Brit's mid-race charge in heat 11.

  • SEE THE ECHO WEBSITE LATER FOR A FULL REPORT ON THE CRAVEN SHIELD RETURN LEG AT EASTBOURNE TONIGHT