NEIL Middleditch insists he is happy with the balance of his Pirates team despite them being dubbed top heavy by Elite League rivals.

The Poole Coastal Aluminium boss expressed his faith in the strength of his one to seven after questions were raised by Swindon counterpart Alun Rossiter and rider Jason Doyle.

Pirates will have to wait for the chance to silence their Blunsdon doubters after tonight’s trip to Wiltshire was called off due to the wet weather.

Robins manager Rossiter had last week told the Daily Echo he thought the defending champions were “vulnerable at the bottom end”.

Chris Holder and Darcy Ward take up a big chunk of the club’s team-building limit and Swindon’s Doyle, an Elite League winner with Pirates last season, also said he felt the Dorset outfit were “top heavy”.

But Middleditch has backed his new-look Pirates team.

He said: “I don’t want to get into a war of words and they (Rossiter and Doyle) are both entitled to their opinions.

“Reserves win you meetings and our reserves this season have been very good. I have got no complaints in that department.

“We have got Chris Holder and Darcy Ward leading the way and Adrian Miedzinski is proving to be a real heat winner for us.

“Down the bottom end, Ricky Kling is a very capable rider and he has scored some good points for us. There is a long season ahead yet.”

Pirates’ home clash with Wolverhampton last night was postponed due to a rain-hit track at Wimborne Road.

And with today’s trip to Swindon also biting the dust, Poole have still not raced since their double success over Coventry on Good Friday.

New dates for both meetings have yet to be announced.