Oxford Silver Machine made it four successive home wins, but it was heart-stoppingly close, with victory only sealed with a last-heat decider against Ipswich in last night's Elite League thriller at the Stadium.

Machine sealed the win when in-form skipper Greg Hancock grabbed second place after he had to give way to the impressive Hans Andersen, having made the all-important gate.

The hosts looked good as early as heat 10 after holding an eight-point advantage, but the dreaded tactical rule that allows double points if successful, almost proved their undoing, as Piotr Protasiewicz and Andersen ran the show for the Witches.

Oxford welcomed back Henka Gustafsson after a wrist injury against Wolves, and he added some steel to the reserve berth with paid nine points.

Silver Machine made a good start in a crash-riddled opening that saw two Ipswich riders hit the fence with both Robert Miskowiak and Kim Jansson excluded, the latter dislocating a shoulder.

Hancock got the better of Danish rival Andersen in the re-run of heat one, before Jesper Jensen and Niels Kristian Iversen roared away with a 5-1 in heat four to put Oxford in control.

However, the heats were being won by the visitors with Protasiewicz looking good as they took six heats on the trot to stay in touch.

The Pole got the better of Hancock in heat six, but was never allowed to settle by the American.

Oxford, however, were maintaining their lead and after an impressive ride from Travis McGowan in heat 10 with Hancock in second spot, they went into the break 34-26 ahead.

Hancock opened up the second half in style, though he had to keep his wits about him as Andersen pressed.

The Witches were in trouble, and brought in Andersen as tactical substitute, but he couldn't catch Jensen or Gustafsson before his bike gave way at the final bend.

Trailing 42-31, Ipswich brought in another tactical substitute, Protasiewicz in heat 13, to set up a cracker.

The Witches pair gated in style and Hancock lifted out of the second bend and lost all chance as Jensen grabbed the minor place.

It gave the Witches an 8-1 advantage and they were right back in the contest.

And when Protasiewicz won heat 14, it looked as though Machine would lose out.

However, Iversen and Bajerski tucked in to set up another last-heat decider.

Oxford: Hancock 12+1, Jensen 10+1, McGowan 8+2, Iversen 8+1, Gustafsson 7+2, Bajerski 3+3.

Ipswich: Proasiewicz 19, Andersen 14, Miskowiak 7, Baran 5, King 1, Jansson 0.