Chris LakeyKing's Lynn boss Rob Lyon has threatened changes to the all-conquering Stars team after their midweek exit from the Premier Trophy competition. Lynn's 100pc home record was shattered by a Newcastle Diamonds side whose 46-44 win gave them a 103-81 aggregate score over both legs of the semi-final.Chris Lakey

King's Lynn boss Rob Lyon has threatened changes to the all-conquering Stars team after their midweek exit from the Premier Trophy competition.

Lynn's 100pc home record was shattered by a Newcastle Diamonds side whose 46-44 win gave them a 103-81 aggregate score over both legs of the semi-final.

It meant an unexpected exit from a competition Lynn have dominated, with three wins in the previous four years, but more worrying for Lyon will be the way the team meekly surrendered the home supremacy which helped them to a stunning trophy treble last year.

'I think we have gone so far with this team and it has done quite well, but all of a sudden a gaping hole has presented itself, I think, in the middle of the team and I think we need to address that.

'If we have got any sort of aspirations of winning things we clearly need to act in every which way, whatever way that may be. There are obviously many options, but we need to certainly do something because the cracks are starting to appear, I feel.'

Lyon admitted the Newcastle defeat was perhaps a wake-up call.

'Possibly,' he said. 'We felt that we had got a good chance of pulling it back, but as it proved Newcastle came out and really attacked it and deserved the victory, let alone the overall victory they deserved the result on the night.

'They rode really well and unfortunately we had too long a tail and probably too many wrong attitudes, I would say.

'Not enough riders were wanting it enough. I think that was the problem and when you have got that cocktail you are not going to win meetings.'

To add to his problems, Lyon saw Kozza Smith pull out of the meeting late on with a knee injury, while had to use rider replacement for the absent Linus Eklof, who has returned to Sweden for personal reasons. His initial absence is for a month, but Lyon suggested it could be longer, leaving him looking for a more permanent replacement.

'Linus has got problems in Sweden,' said Lyon. 'He had to make a decision and that decision was to take a break from British speedway. Obviously that means he's withholding his services, which means we get a facility for him for 28 days.

'Obviously in the meantime we need to look for a new rider because clearly rider replacement is not going to work for us, so that is what we are doing at the moment, looking around to see if we can find somebody, but I think we have more issues than that, if I am honest with you.

'He is out at the moment for the month, but we will see how it goes. A lot can happen in speedway.'

Lynn have a trip to Glasgow on Sunday followed by a visit from high-flying Rye House next Wednesday when good performances will be crucial.

'They start to come thick and fast, which is a bit ironic because we have had two or three weeks' inactivity but we have to get on with it, move on and regroup and do the best things for King's Lynn speedway.'