PIRATES chief Matt Ford has confirmed he has had to release Paul Hurry but that he hopes he has not seen the last of the rider at Wimborne Road this season.

Hurry has done a creditable job at reserve for Poole Castle Cover since replacing injured Kyle Legault last month.

But a change in the Dorset club’s overall team average, which will rise by 0.18 on June 1, dictates the 34-year-old has had to be let go.

Ford said: “We have had to release Paul because of our averages at the moment (Hans Andersen 9.39, Chris Holder 8.47, Joe Screen 7.23, Bjarne Pedersen 6.93, Daniel Davidsson 3.65 and Ben Wilson 3.22) only leaves us with 3.22 to play with.

“Paul’s current average is 3.59 but it becomes 3.11 on June 1 which would fit perfectly except Bjarne, Chris, Joe and Daniel’s combined averages will also go up by 0.18 then which would put us on 42.18, marginally over the new 42.00 points limit.

“So we unfortunately have had to let Paul go, but we’re hoping he will get fixed up with a Premier League club. That would give us the option of using him as a doubling-up rider, but we are uncertain at this stage.”

Ford added: “I’m gutted to have had to release Paul but I’m still very hopeful that if he gets set up with a Premier club we can still work with him again.

“I think he has become very popular with our crowd and everyone knows that coming back from 18 months’ injury he has done an outstanding job.

“I would recommend him highly to anyone else, as someone at reserve in the Elite or to a Premier club looking to strengthen up.”