"The Face" returns to King's Lynn.

Silver Machine Knights No.1 and skipper Nicki Pedersen has been ruled out of this Saturday's home local derby against Peterborough.

And Knights' boss Nigel Wagstaff has wasted no time whatsoever in booking in Ipswich's Australian star, and ex-Knight, Craig "The Face" Boyce as a guest replacement.

Boyce was in scintillating form for Ipswich at the Norfolk Arena on Good Friday dropping just one point from his five rides.

"It's a blow having to go into the match without Nicki," said Wagstaff, "but Boycey I'm sure will prove an able deputy."

King's Lynn injury update:

As stated above Grand Prix star Pedersen has been ruled out of Saturday's home match having still not fully recovered from the neck and back injuries he sustained in a crash at Poole at the end of last month and feels that he might let both himself and the team down if he attempted a comeback before he regains 100% fitness.

He's currently undergoing intensive physiotherapy in his native Denmark in an attempt to disperse the deep and extensive bruising he sustained to his back and neck.

Like most injured speedway riders he admits to not being the best of patients and hopes to be fit enough to return to the saddle at the earliest opportunity, possibly in time for next Wednesday's home match with Oxford.

He really is doing everything in his power to get fit, he says the cost doesn't come into it as he just wants to be fit to ride as soon as possible and, to help speed up the process, he's seriously contemplating flying to the UK to seek further treatment from top Harley Street specialist Paul Ankers.

Meanwhile King's Lynn other injury-hit star, Australian Under 21 Champion Travis McGowan, will travel to Suffolk on Monday to receive further treatment on the wrist he broke during the recent home match against Eastbourne.

Like his skipper Pedersen, Travis is feeling a bit low at the moment not being able to ride and will seek treatment from sports physio Brian Simpson who has helped many a speedway star recover rapidly from various injuries in the past.

"We'll do our best to soldier on without both Nicki and Travis, "added Wagstaff, "and I'm counting on the rest of our squad to rally round on Saturday to see off Peterborough's challenge just as they did on Good Friday against Ipswich."

Knights to tame Panthers?

Following their epic Good Friday victory over Ipswich The Silver Machine Knights will be looking to put one over their other East Anglian rivals, the Peterborough Europress Panthers, when the sides clash on Saturday night at the Norfolk Arena.

It's King's Lynn's first meeting of the year against their nearest geographical rivals and both clubs will be keen to ensure that a similar situation doesn't arise this year whereby they meet at home three weeks running! Mind you King's Lynn do meet them twice in seven days travelling to the East of England Showground next Friday for the return match!

Peterborough, like King's Lynn, have been hit pretty hard by injuries at the start of this season and definitely ruled out of Saturday's clash are Dane Hans Clausen (crushed vertebra) and reserve Simon Stead (broken knuckle). There are also still some doubt as to whether or not ex-Knight Shane Parker will be fit to return to the side following his spell on the injured list. Providing he is (and it is always good to see him back at the Norfolk Arena) then the chances are that David Howe will be drafted in as a guest to replace Clausen.

Ironically Howe is one of five riders from last year's Peterborough squad who are strutting their stuff (in speedway terms) at pastures new in 2002. Out have gone Howe (on loan to Wolverhampton), Mark Loram (at Eastbourne), Matej Ferjan (back at parent club Belle Vue) and both Mario Jirout and Nigel Sadler are now in the premier League with Somerset and Rye House respectively. Also out from his role as team manager is Phil Wing with Jim Lynch reassuming the position.

Coming into the 2002 team (well at the beginning of the season prior to injuries occurring!) are ex-Knight Piotr Protasiewicz, Dane Hans Clausen who returns to the club after missing out riding in England for a spell, and fellow Dane Henning Bager who was with Glasgow last year and who was signed after Australian Brett Woodifield's work permit application.

And, finally, the Panthers management opted to take advantage of the possibility of two young British Premier League riders filling one of the reserve berths naming Simon Stead and Trelawny's Chris Harris as the ones to share that role. Harris gets his chance on Saturday with Stead having broken a knuckle in an Easter Monday crash at Alwalton.

Manager Jim Lynch will certainly be looking to his top two of Ryan Sullivan and Pepe Protasiewicz to score well and, in Sullivan's case that is nigh on certain with him proving to be virtually (and we did say virtually not definitely!) unbeatable on his recent visits. Pepe will be out to prove a point or two for sure against his former club and Czech Sam Tesar could prove to be something of a thorn in King's Lynn's side now he's back to full fitness.

The question marks for the Cambridgeshire side have got to be the reserve berths and what they eventually decide to do in the middle order of their side if Parker is ruled out as well as Clausen.

That will become clearer on Saturday itself but what is clear is that whatever their line up, the Silver Machine will have to produce another performance akin to the one against Ipswich to take the spoils.

Local pride at stake then for the second meeting in a row at Saddlebow and, as King's Lynn said last week, the Silver Machine Knights do not intend to be the team having to swallow it!

Provisional teams:

Knights:
1 Craig Boyce; 2 Tom P Madsen (C); 3 Travis McGowan (r/r); 4 Artur Pietrzyk; 5 Seb Ulamek; 6 Freddie Eriksson; 7 Emil Kramer. Manager: Nigel Wagstaff.

Panthers:
1. Ryan Sullivan; 2 Shane Parker*; 3 Guest or r/r; 4 Sam Tesar; 5 Piotr Protasiewicz; 6 Chris Harris; 7 Henning Bager. Manager: Jim Lynch

SGP merchandise launch:

Saturday's meeting is being sponsored by one of King's Lynn's most loyal supporters and own sponsors Chris Perkins whose company Visual Marketing UK Ltd will be launching their year as the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series first ever official suppliers of Speedway Grand Prix Merchandise.

All relevant details can be found on www.sgpofficialmerchandise.com. Perkins will have members of staff positioned on the 3/4 bend displaying their goods from his display booth. All children should make their way to the stool to pick up their free GP stickers. The whole display will be fronted by Daily Sport Model Kelly Bell, who will sign autographs during the evening.