JT/FOX Oxford Cheetahs, on a roll after five wins on the trot, have called up one of their former riders, Craig Boyce, to cover for the injured Lukas Dryml when they take on King's Lynn in the Sky Sports Elite League at Oxford Stadium tonight (7.30).

The 19-year-old Czech star, just starting to blossom into a top rider, would have made his debut as heat leader tonight but was involved in an horrific crash with the Knights' Swedish star Peter Karlsson during Cheetahs' 46-44 win at King's Lynn on Wednesday.

Craig Boyce

Dryml came off lightly compared with Karlsson, who underwent an operation to fix a broken thigh, the third such injury on that night. Poole's Hans Andersen, in a crash with Mark Loram, and Exeter's Matt Cambridge, at Hull, also suffered the same fate.

Dryml, who spent most of the night in the first-aid room before going to KIng's Lynn hospital for a check-up, has nothing broken but is in severe pain from shoulder and leg bruising.

Promoter Vanessa Purchase said: "It was a miracle the way he got up and walked back to the pits, but he didn't know where he was or what happened. He was telling me he needed a new riding suit!"

Brian Andersen will be looking to get back on track after his exhaust came apart when leading the final heat last Friday. He recently had an engine impounded for random checks, but it passed with flying colours and should be back on the boil tonight.

The Knights have problems with no Peter Karlsson in their line-up. They bring in Berwick's Michael Makowsky for the injured Lee Redmond, but as yet have not named a replacement for Karlsson.

Oxford: Andersen, Wiltshire, Boyce, Johnston, Adams, Appleton, A Dryml.

King's Lynn: Pedersen, Madsen, Klingberg, AN Other, Crump, Eriksson, Makowski.