King's Lynn Stars were last night docked two points for using Kozza Smith as a guest in their home win against Peterborough Panthers.

The Speedway Control Bureau confirmed the Australian shouldn't have been used as a replacement for injured rider Nicklas Porsing.

They stated Smith's average was in excess of the Dane's 4.00 total and therefore he was actually ineligible to ride – even though SCB referee Dave Watters had given permission for him to be used on the night.

The guest's 13, paid 14, points, have now been removed to turn Lynn's 47-43 victory – which had given them two precious Elite League points in their hunt for a play-off position – into a 43-34 defeat, a result which leaves them empty-handed.

A statement regarding the organisation's ruling said: 'Kings Lynn were missing their rider, Nicklas Porsing due to injury.

'Porsing has an Elite League MA (match average) of 4.00 and is number seven in the King's Lynn line-up. The facility (as permitted by rule SR 18.2.1 e) is that Lynn were permitted to use a PL (Premier League) guest (using the converted MA).

'Kozza Smith, a PL rider with Berwick, rode in the meeting as a guest for Porsing and scored 13 + 1 bonus point. However, Smith had a PL MA of 7.42 (July issue of PL Averages) which converts to 4.45 EL.

'This was in excess of the missing rider, Porsing (4.00) and means that Smith was ineligible. Mistakenly, it had been assumed that Smith's former EL MA of 3.43

achieved during his spell with Poole was applicable, hence the error.'

Lynn now sit seven adrift of the top four with just eight meetings to go.