The return of former world champion Mark Loram will do the Oxford Silver Machine's cause no good at all when he makes a return on his home track for Arena Essex at Purfleet tonight.

Loram, the last Englishman to win the title in 2000, has been out since March with a serious hand injury and Arena have suffered just like Oxford without Billy Hamill.

However, Loram made a stunning comeback at Belle Vue on Monday with paid 15 points to inflict a shock last heat defeat on the Aces, favourites to land the Elite League title.

With the Machine going down heavily at Wolverhampton on Monday, they will again be at the mercy of Arena Essex, where Oxford scored a rare victory this season.

Henka Gustafsson and Stefan Andersson will again be missing, but Niels Kristian Iversen, who showed signs that he was not over his recent bout of 'flu at Monmore on Monday, loves the track as does Greg Hancock who was in top form to score 19 points on Monday.

Mikal Makovsky again stands in for Gustafsson, while rider-replacement will be used for Andersson.

Hammers will be without Josh Larsen, who suffered back injuries riding for America in the World cup qualifier in Latvia, so Phil Morris comes in.

Arena Essex: Havelock, Hurry, Lanham, Darkin, Loram, Morris, Povaznhy.

Oxford: Hancock, McGowan, Jensen, Iversen, Rider-replacement, Makovsky, Bajerski.