King's Lynn Stars require a three-point victory at home to Coventry Bees this evening to keep their fading Elite League play-off hopes alive, according to Rob Lyon.

The Norfolk Arena outfit's team boss insists his men can forget about finishing in the top four if they fail to pick up wins at home by seven or more between now and the end of the season next month.

He said: 'We'll take a win however they come, given the luck we've had. We've just got to get three league points. Our appeal (for two-point deduction) has gone in, and we're waiting on the result of that, which is going to be a crucial decision.

'But realistically we need to pick up maximum-points wins at home and bring something back from Coventry and Birmingham away.

'Poole and Lakeside have got to ride each other twice and they're going to take points off each other.

'We've got Lakeside at home twice. There's lots of ifs, buts and maybes. But I wouldn't discount our club from the play-offs at this stage.'

Lynn, seventh, are two places ahead of Coventry but 10 points behind fourth-placed Lakeside Hammers. The Stars have just six meetings left of what's been a bizarre campaign packed with bad luck. That continued on Monday when they travelled to Eastbourne Eagles, where they lost 53-39, and were forced into replacing guest Kozza Smith with Adam Ellis at the 11th hour.

Lyon said: 'Kozza hurt his neck on Saturday and decided to have 24 hours rest to get fit for Eastbourne. But as he pulled out of a FIM meeting (World Longtrack Team Championships) he wasn't allowed to ride for us on Monday.

'He was on his way to Eastbourne when he was told. It was another sort of kick in the teeth. It's just one thing after another. Thankfully Adam Ellis could fill in for us. But he's still learning and Kozza's points, that he would have got without a shadow of a doubt, would have saw us claim a more-than welcome point.'

Coventry have won once away this year but pushed Lynn close during a 49-41 loss at Saddlebow Road in April.

Lynn: 1 Guest or rider/replacement, 2 Lasse Bjerre, 3 Mads Korneliussen, 4 Richie Worrall, 5 Rory Schlein, 6 Nicklas Porsing, 7 Kozza Smith (guest)

Coventry: 1 Krzysztof Kasprzak, 2 Michal Szczepaniak, 3 Grzegorz Zengota, 4 Aaron Summers, 5 Scott Nicholls, 6 Stuart Robson, 7 Josh Grajczonek (G)

- After going to print last night, the club confirmed Niels-Kristian Iversen will not be riding tonight due to Danish league commitments.