Poole Pirates 46, Oxford Silver Machine 44: Oxford Silver Machine were only denied a shock away win at leaders Poole following a nail-biting final heat last night.

Nigel Wagstaff's outfit, with 17-year-old new boy Tobias Kroner making his debut at No 7, cut Poole's 34-26 lead to only two points going into the final race.

And when Greg Hancock and Niels-Kristian Iversen popped out of the gate in front in heat 15 they were heading for a 5-1 that would give Oxford their second league win on the road this term.

But it was not to be for the basement boys, as first Antonio Lindback and then Bjarne Pedersen both dived inside and past Iversen to grab second and third places.

So, although Hancock roared on to take the chequered flag, the Silver Machine had an unlikely away triumph snatched from their grasp at the death by the champions.

Oxford, who had lost 54-41 at Poole on June 1, were helped through the absence of Krzysztof Kasprzak. The Pirate was stranded on the continent following a delay with his flight into Heathrow.

However, it was still a superb display by the Silver Machine, who brought in German Kroner for Tomasz Bajerski at reserve.

The youngster failed to score from three rides, but he was the only Oxford rider not to win a heat as Hancock, Travis McGowan, Renat Gafurov, Iversen, Billy Hamill and Henka Gustafsson all took the chequered flag.

Iversen and Gafurov combined for a 5-1 in heat seven and McGowan and Hancock duplicated that in race 11.

A 4-2 by Iversen and Gustafsson in heat 14 forced a last-race decider, but, agonisingly, it was not to be for the Silver Machine.

Poole: Sullivan 8, Lindback 9+3, Ferjan 4+1, Pedersen 12+1, Phillips 1+1, Johansson 3+1, Kennett 9+1. 46pts.

Oxford: Hancock 9+1, McGowan 8+1, Gafurov 6+2, Iversen 8, Hamill 6+2, Gustafsson 7, Kroner 0. 44pts.