King's Lynn Stars' Elite League play-off push will receive a huge boost tonight if they win at Lakeside Hammers.

Rob Lyon's troops, sixth, will leapfrog the fourth-placed side, by triumphing at Arena Essex. It will be a big ask with the Hammers having thumped Lynn 53-39 earlier this term.

However, Lynn go into the clash in good spirits after beating Peterborough Panthers 47-43 two days ago and Lyon hopes his top-four challengers can build on their crucial derby victory.

He said: 'Dropping a point at home on Wednesday means it would be good to go there and get at least a league point. Then hopefully we can give them a hammering here on the TV (Sky Sports) next week (July 31).

'Lakeside are fighting for that fourth position like we are and Poole are. It's in our hands to be honest. And there will be a lot of points dropped from now and until the end of the season, by all three teams, I'm sure of that.

'The positive is we got a win on the board against Peterborough, we've broken that losing sequence and we need to take it on from here now and push on and see if we can make it.'

The Stars will be without Andzejs Lebedevs because he is riding in the Latvian Championships. Lyon had lined up Kevin Doolan as a guest. But he was surprisingly recalled by Lakeside – who had released him for the now injured Tyson Nelson – meaning they've lost vital 'home track' advantage. Morten Risager will take his place.

Danish rider Nicklas Porsing made his return from a wrist injury last night in Sweden. But he aggravated it so Lyon has called upon his back-up in the shape of Leigh Lanham.

Lakeside (order unknown): Peter Karlsson, Davey Watt, Lewis Bridger, Richard Lawson, Piotr Swiderski, Sebastian Ulamek, Kevin Doolan

Lynn: 1 Niels-Kristian Iversen, 2 Lasse Bjerre, 3 Mads Korneliussen, 4 Richie Worrall, 5 Rory Schlein, 6 Leigh Lanham (Guest), 7 Morten Risager (G)