Ipswich Evening Star Witches have been dealt another injury blow ahead of their Elite League clash with Poole Pirates tonight. In-form Polish star Piotr Protasiewicz was injured riding for Bydgoszcz in Poland on Sunday afternoon.

By Elvin King

Ipswich Evening Star Witches have been dealt another injury blow ahead of their Elite League clash with Poole Pirates tonight.

In-form Polish star Piotr Protasiewicz was injured riding for Bydgoszcz in Poland on Sunday afternoon. Piotr aggravated his back in a fall in the opening Grand Prix on Saturday night before compounding the injury in Poland. Protasiewicz suffered with back problems towards the end of 2005 but has shown no signs of problems this season as he has started the season in terrific form.

His loss will be a severe blow to the Witches as Piotr has been posting some impressive scores thus far for Ipswich. Although he has been riding and scoring like a Number One rider, he is in fact number three in the Witches averages and as such, under the regulations, his absence has to be covered by the rider replacement facility. This means that the remaining Ipswich riders, bar Mark Loram, will cover his rides.

Protasiewicz is to seek urgent treatment and will undergo intensive rehabilitation in an attempt to get back racing as soon as possible. He has set a personal target to return to the Witches line-up for the Foxhall Bank Holiday fixture against Belle Vue.