MATT Ford has admitted spearhead Bjarne Pedersen's early season form is "a worry".

The Poole Castle Cover Pirates chief watched as Pedersen notched just seven points from five rides as the Dorset club crumpled to a 54-36 Elite League defeat at Wolverhampton on Monday night.

And with Pedersen also struggling at Swindon in the Craven Shield (eight points), at home against Eastbourne (five paid seven) and against Lakeside at Wimborne Road (four paid six), Ford admitted his captain's return is a concern.

Ford told the Echo: "It is a worry and it would be wrong of me to say it isn't on my mind. You except that it takes a rider a while to get going, but Bjarne has done about 10 meetings now in England and abroad.

"I haven't spoken to him, but at this point in time, having worked with him for seven years, I'm quite sure he is questioning himself without additional pressure from me.

"Sometimes riders do have this in their careers, where they lose track for a short period of time, but then something happens to knock them back on course. But I know Bajrne will be worried himself.

"Neil (Middleditch) and I have spoken about it, though, and it is of concern to us."

Ford was left to rue a broken wrist to Pole Adam Skornicki, a Monmore track specialist, ahead of the trip to the Midlands and added: "We knew it was going to be tough without Adam, who clearly is our trump card at the moment, and it's a track that he rode for seven years so he would have been fantastic round there - particularly in his current form."

Pirates welcome Wolves to Wimborne Road tonight (7.30pm) for their first home Elite League clash of the season, with Ford admitting the lack of the bonus point this campaign could be a blessing for Castle Cover Pirates after their Monday Monmore mauling.

Ford added: "We could have made additional changes for Adam's rides on Monday, but it's kind of pointless without the bonus point.

"You want the riders that are still learning the track, like Zibi Suchecki, to still take their rides."

Pirates: 1 Pedersen, 2 Rider replacement for Adam Skornicki, 3 Watt, 4 Zabik, 5 Holder, 6 Suchecki, 7 Eriksson.

Wolves: 1 Lindgren, 2 Dryml, 3 Iversen, 4 Hansen, 5 Howe, 6 Klindt, 7 Hefenbrock.