FIT-AGAIN Vinnie Foord admitted the “relief” he felt when he discovered his wrist injury was not as bad as first feared.

Foord, 17, was signed by Poole last month to replace Max Perry at reserve.

Despite competing in just two meetings for his new club so far, totalling 1+1, his racing style has earned some earlier admirers.

That proved to be his detriment last week, as he fell trying to chase points during the National League Riders’ Championship, held at Wimborne Road.

X-rays showed Foord had suffered a wrist fracture, but having been back to hospital for a follow-up appointment, it has emerged the break was in fact healed and was still showing from a previous injury.

As such, the East Sussex-born rider, who watched on as Perry guested for him in Poole’s 50-40 win over Edinburgh Monarchs on Wednesday night, is ready to get back on the bike again.

“I turned up to the hospital (on Wednesday) expecting the worst and I thought minimum six weeks out of racing,” Foord told the Daily Echo.

“When they cut the cast off and I had full movement, it was a bit of a relief.

“I asked them for a rescan and when the scan results came back and they told me it wasn’t broken and I didn’t need surgery, it was definitely a relief."

Asked if that news had come as a surprise, or if he expected it may have been related to his last injury, Foord added: “It was just from an old break I didn’t let heal last season and it healed funny.

"It was me being silly really.

“I sort of cut the cast off (last year) a week after the crash and carried on racing!

“It was my fault really. It’s one of those things.”

Foord crashed out last weekFoord crashed out last week (Image: Richard Crease)

Poole now have no fixture until hosting Plymouth Gladiators on Wednesday, July 17, which is the first of five meetings in the space of a hectic two weeks.

But Foord says he will be available.

“I’m feeling fit and ready to go,” insisted the teenager.

“I would have liked to have been racing on Wednesday night, but in such short notice it was pretty hard to.

“But I’ll be back for the next meeting. I’ve got a bit of practice to come until then.”

Foord’s arrival at Poole came just after his impressive appearance at the British Under-21 final.

Pirates promoter Danny Ford said other clubs approached Foord after that meeting, but the deal had already been done.

Reflecting on the call he got from Poole to say they wanted to sign him, Foord said: “It was a real big shock for me, to be fair.

“I really didn’t expect it so soon. It all sort of happened so quickly.

“I felt like I was progressing and felt like I was ready for it, so I can’t complain. I’m loving it here.”

He added: “It is a real big step up. It’s going to be tough.

“It’s stepping up into one of the bigger leagues, so it is going to be tough. But I’m sure with time I’ll be just as good as all of them.

“If I can improve every time and score a few points along the way, I can’t complain.”