TODD Kurtz wants to make Alun Rossiter eat his words and Ricky Kling reckons the Swindon boss is running scared of Poole.

Kurtz and Kling both delivered a riposte after Robins team manager Rossiter said he thought Pirates were top heavy this season.

Rossiter, speaking ahead of Swindon’s aborted trip to Wimborne Road on Wednesday, claimed the Elite League champions were “vulnerable at the bottom end”.

Although he did not single out any individual, his comments seemed to be directed at reserves Kurtz and Kling, both of whom have experienced fluctuating fortunes this season.

The pair will have the ideal opportunity to respond on the track when Pirates face the Robins at Blunsdon on Thursday.

Kurtz told the Daily Echo: “I would like to prove anybody wrong who doesn’t have full backing for us. Everybody is out there to do a job and we all give 110 per cent.

“I wasn’t too disappointed with what was said. I was at Coventry last year as their number eight and didn’t score too many points. Rosco was the team manager so I guess that is the only time he has seen me ride.

“He probably hasn’t seen this year’s Poole team in action so, hopefully, we can catch him by surprise and prove him wrong. The boys normally do well at Swindon and, if everybody chips in, there is no reason why we can’t beat them.”

Kurtz, who could be in line to become a Pirates asset this season, banked seven paid points during their Elite League double triumph over Coventry on Good Friday. The 19-year-old failed to trouble the scorers at Brandon before bagging his haul in the return at Wimborne Road.

Kling, meanwhile, hit the ground running when he starred on debut in Poole Coastal Aluminium’s Elite Shield triumph over Wolves, notching paid 19 points over the two legs. However, mechanical gremlins contributed to the Swede amassing just five points in the two meetings with Coventry.

Kling, asked for his response to Rossiter’s observations, told the Daily Echo: “There’s not much to comment on. It’s typical Rosco and that’s why I don’t read newspapers.

“I’m not here to prove him wrong, I’m here to prove to myself that I can do it. Whatever people might say, I’m trying to score points.

“I’m not really bothered to hear it. It’s just like any another team manager and I think the reason he said it was probably because he has got respect for us.

“We are both unbeaten and it is going be a big test for both teams on Thursday. He is probably a bit nervous.”

Kurtz and Kling will both be in action when Pirates bid to maintain their 100 per cent winning start to the season against Wolves at Wimborne Road on Wednesday.