Wolverhampton Wolves 55, Oxford Silver Machine 38

(Wolverhampton won 96-85 on aggregate): Oxford Silver Machine will do well to put this damp and dreary evening in the West Midlands behind them and concentrate on getting it right in time for their opening Elite League match of the season.

Thrashed at Monmore Green in the league play-offs last season without Greg Hancock, Oxford had every reason to expect a much-improved performance and overall victory in the two-leg Airtek Challenge series.

After all, Hancock was back and Billy Hamill had been added to the mix, the pair having caused Wolves all sorts of problems over the years going back to their days as Cradley Heath riders.

Hancock was in excellent nick, recovering from a heat one defeat at the hands of home No 1 Mikael Max to go unbeaten in his remaining four rides, including double points in his heat five tactical ride.

But Hamill was far from his usual Monmore self, losing out to a terrific ride by David Howe in heat four, breaking down in his next race when in front of Max and finishing the night with only four points.

Hancock received some backing from Niels Kristian Iversen, who beat Howe in heat seven, but Lukas Dryml was a disappointment.

The Czech has a poor record at Monmore and it was the biggest surprise of the night when he was nominated for the last heat, having scored only three in his first four races.

He gated in front with Hancock, but slipped back and was losing second spot when Freddie Lindgren's back wheel took his leg away, causing a fall and, with Howe having broken down on the start line, Dryml won the re-run unopposed.