Charles Wright will guest for King’s Lynn Stars at Poole as Lewis Kerr’s season is ended by injury

King's Lynn Stars' end-of-season injury jinx has claimed its latest victim in the shape of Lewis Kerr.

Rob Lyon had already lost the services of top gun Niels-Kristian Iversen and reserve Lewis Rose going into the play-offs while Kenneth Bjerre is only just fit again after crashing a fortnight ago. Yet things got even worse this afternoon after it was confirmed that Kerr – who suffered a heavy fall during last night's semi-final first leg home defeat to Poole Pirates – is now out for the remainder of the campaign with a broken scaphoid (wrist bone).

Lyon said: 'We thought we were getting away with minor injuries in most cases all season and since the end of August it's been crash, bang, wallop. There was Niels, Kenneth – who's thankfully back now – and Lewis (Rose), which were massive blows to us. And this just tops it off.'

Kerr has been one of the best reserves in the Elite League this season after being selected by his beloved Stars during the Fast Track Draft (FTD) process. His place for Monday's all-important second leg in Poole as Lynn look to overturn their one-point deficit will be taken by Somerset Rebels' Premier League rider Charles Wright.

'Charles is in form,' said the Stars' team boss of the man who is on the FTD list for guesting purposes.

'Whenever he's guested as a Fast Track rider he's never let anyone down. Without Lewis (Kerr) at reserve we'll need Charles' scoring power down at Poole. Steve Worrall, Jason Garrity and Kyle Newman (Poole) are all below Lewis in the draft list but they're all engaged with other teams on the night. Charles is on a par with those boys so we're happy to have secured his services.'

Scott Nicholls will once again guest in place of Iversen, as he did on Monday, while Eddie Kennett replaces Craig Cook as Poole's guest for Josh Grajczonek. The Pirates are yet to declare who'll come in for Darcy Ward.