7:00am Wednesday 8th July 2009
By Phil Chard
PIRATES new boy Steve Boxall has admitted he would like nothing better than helping them send his former club Belle Vue spinning out of the cup later this month.
But he’s been quick to insist it’s not because there is any ill feeling between the two parties after Aces dropped him in April.
Boxall said: “It’s more because I’m riding for Poole now and want to do a professional job for them.
“I didn’t feel too clever about being dropped by Belle Vue and then Newcastle within about four weeks earlier this year.”
Boxall, who makes his Castle Cover Pirates comeback at home to Ipswich tonight (7.30pm) following a brief spell at Wimborne Road in 2007, added: “I went from racing non-stop in two leagues to nothing.
“I then broke a bone in my hand in a non-speedway related incident but I’ve been fit and ready to race for a month now.
“So it’s going to be great just being back riding again, especially for a club whom I enjoyed riding for a couple of years ago.”
Pirates have snapped up Boxall on loan from Rye House and the number seven is eligible to line up in an Elite League Knockout Cup, quarter-final, second leg, clash at Belle Vue on Monday, July 27.
Boxall, who missed most of last season with an arm injury, said: “I want to go back there and beat them. I know the track and it’s a good one. I’ve had experience there this year and look forward to going back and scoring some more points.”
Boxall, whose new team must overturn a 49-44 first leg deficit to fix up a semi-final against Coventry, added: “It would be great to knock Belle Vue out.
“I’m riding for Poole now, so I’m paid by them to try and help them win. I’m fully fit now. I was a month ago, but couldn’t get a club.
“I had a skid at Poole last week and felt okay. I’ve pretty much had a year out of racing, so it was always going to take a while for me to get back because I’d been off a bike for a year, that’s why I was so disappointed being released by two clubs.
“I haven’t ridden competitively since May, but I’d like to think I could score more than three points a meeting for Poole.
“I had a few okay scores for Aces so I don’t see why I can’t do it at Poole. In all my home meetings for Belle Vue, I got at least six, and I scored paid 11 for them against Poole.
“It’s just my away form that was not so good, but after a year out I didn’t have any sponsorship or help getting my equipment to a better level. Now I just want to score some points for Poole, starting against Ipswich.
“I’ll go out there, give it 110 per cent and see how it goes.”
Pirates are at full strength for pretty much the first time this season, but Witches are without new signing Scott Nicholls who has been recalled by his Swedish side for a re-arranged meeting tonight.
Buccanneers rider Jerran Hart covers for Nicholls, with Troy Batchelor making his second appearance for Ipswich.
Pirates: 1 H Andersen, 2 D Davidsson, 3 J Screen, 4 B Pedersen, 5 C Holder, 6 B Wilson, 7 S Boxall.
Ipswich: 1 J Hart, 2 T Kroner, 3 R Miskowiak, 4 D King, 5 T Batchelor, 6 D Stachyra, 7 C Wilkinson.
There will be a two-minute silence ahead of tonight’s meeting in memory of long-serving SCB timekeeper and incident recorder Tony Fail, who died earlier this week.
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