Belle Vue Aces 59, Oxford Silver Machine 35: Despite a paid 15-point haul for skipper Greg Hancock, Oxford Silver Machine have left themselves with a mountain to climb if they are going to progress in the Speedway Star KO Cup.

The Aces were never in danger and forced Oxford boss Nigel Wagstaff to bring in a tactical rider as early as heat five.

New dad Hancock, whose wife gave birth to a son, Wilbur, on Thursday, was the only rider to lower the colours of world champion Jason Crump.

Niels Kristian Iversen, who has carried the Silver Machine so far this season, had a rare off-night and with Jesper Jensen failing to score and Travis McGowan managing just one point, it was always going to be a tough ask.

Debutant Thomasz Bajerski didn't have the best of starts for the Machine. Obviously needing time to adjust, he fell in his opening ride, but managed to remount. All was not lost for the Polish rider though, as he did win one heat over Danish GP star Kenneth Bjerre.

With Oxford trailing by ten points, Hancock was called up as early as heat five to come in as a tactical sub and duly grabbed the six points on offer, but with McGowan trailing in last, not much advantage was achieved.

Hancock figured in the race of the night with world champion Crump in heat 11. The Oxford skipper gated and although Crump was all over him throughout the four laps, Hancock came out on top.

However, the Silver Machine then started to fall away as the Aces began building a healthy lead for the return leg at Oxford Stadium on Thursday.

Belle Vue: Bjerre 12, Crump 11, Screen 10, Lyons 9, Smith 8, Stead 6, Harrison 3. 59pts.

Oxford: Hancock 14+1, Iversen 7, Andersson 6, Gustafsson 4, Bajerski 3, McGowan 1, Jensen 0. 35pts.