INJURED Rocket Paul Starke is out with a badly broken collarbone.
Hospital X-rays following Starke’s nasty tumble at Newport confirmed that the British Under-21 finalist will be sidelined for the rest of the season.
The injury has now been pinned and plated.
Team manager John Sampford is under no illusions as to the task at hand in the forthcoming Young Shield.
He said: “It makes a tough job even tougher. We were already operating Rider-Replacement for Robbie Kessler, which allowed only Stefan Ekberg and the two reserves to take the replacement rides.
“Now we will have to use a National League guest to cover for Paul as well.”
No new rider can be signed because of the BSPA rule which bars new signings after September 15.
The Rockets are at present giving consideration to taking a gamble on a teenager with an eye to the future, but that decision has yet to be made.
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