TRAVIS McGowan pulled off probably the greatest victory of his Elite League career when beating fellow Aussie Leigh Adams in the final heat to give the Silver Machine a 46-44 victory over Swindon Robins at the Abbey Stadium last night.

And it was McGowan who teamed up with Billy Hamill in the penultimate heat to secure the all-important bonus point when the pair silenced the Robins to ensure a semi-final spot.

McGowan, who warmed to his task throughout the evening, finished with a spanking paid 18 points from seven rides and is clearly Oxford's ace in the pack at reserve.

The Silver Machine, who went into the meeting with a seven-point advantage, needed only to take the bonus, but the three points was just reward for a good all-round show, despite having to track Lubos Tomicek for the absent Niels Kristian Iversen.

Greg Hancock, who won only two of his four races, was a little under par, but Hamill well and truly laid his Swindon bogey, romping to two straight victories to finish on paid 11 for the night.

There were good efforts from Freddie Eriksson and Henka Gustafsson, while Adams and Lee Richardson were always dangerous for the Robins.

It was nip and tuck most of the way until the home side shot six points ahead after six heats, but the Machine reduced the arrears to a two-point deficit in heat nine as McGowan saw off a determined Jonas Davidsson to storm clear at the second bend, with Tomicek in third.

The battle was now on and the Machine were looking good from heat 12 where Eriksson and McGowan powered home maximum points to see them ahead for the first time on the night.

Although Richardson and Adams plundered a 5-1 in heat 13 to bring the scores to 40-38, McGowan proved the man of the moment with two storming victories to end a glorious night for the Silver Machine.