Oxford Silver Machine have made it to the Sky Sports Elite League speedway play-offs even before tonight's final league match of the regular season against Belle Vue Aces at the Stadium on Friday (7.30pm).

Silver Machine's place in the play-offs was confirmed yesterday after rivals and defending champions Wolverhampton failed to complete their programme.

The Wolves match at Belle Vue on Wednesday night was called off because of an unfit track.

Neither club could come up with a new date before Sunday's deadline, so the Silver Machine are through, and will now be away to Poole in the play-offs on Monday, September 22.

By making it into the top four, it is a remarkable achievement for a team who were written off at the start of the season.

It's still likely to be a tough tie tonight as Belle Vue are a much stronger proposition than they were when the Silver Machine registered their first win away of the season against the Manchester-based outfit back in March.

Good news for Silver Machine fans is that Sebastian Ulamek will be back after his hand injury, which brings the team back to full strength as he partners Todd Wiltshire at No 2.

Fifty points are required to land Oxford the bonus point, but with the likes of Jason Crump, fresh from his Grand Prix win in Prague last weekend, Joe Screen and Jason Lyons in opposition, it won't be that easy.

Crump is a master of the Sandy Lane circuit, and there will be a few Silver Machines riders looking for his scalp tonight.