Singles Report

REPORT FROM SINGLES COMPETITION PLAYED ON WEDNESDAY 23rd JULY

There will be a new name on the Oxford singles trophy as Roger Goodall & Dick Walsh from The Six Bells ‘C’ Kidlington, Darren Cox from Team Monarch and Rob Bradford from The Ampleforth Arms ‘A’ battled their way through to the semi-finals with neither player ever reaching the finals before.
Played at four different venues down to the winner Rob Bradford beat Lee Hazell (Red Lion ‘A’ Eynsham) 2-1 in the final round at The Chequers. Both had byes in the 1st round and in the next round Bradford disposed of Ady Cross (Six Bells C) comfortably 2-0 while Hazell had to come from behind to beat Ray Townsend (Six Bells ‘C’) 2-1.
In the next round Bradford beat Luke Purcell (Rose Hill ‘A’) 2-0 while Hazell had a ding dong of a game against Chris Webb (Ampleforth Arms ‘C’). Hazell set four in the first leg with Webb clanging off five to win the leg. Webb set four in the second leg which Hazell matched, and then won the leg on three sticks 2-1. Webb set the deciding leg with four and once again Hazell matched it, three sticks was tied 1-1 with Hazell winning the leg on one stick.
In the final round Bradford won the opening leg against Hazell 3-2 and then Hazell set five in the next leg. Bradford was up to the task and levelled, three sticks could not separate them with Hazell winning the leg on a one stick shoot out. The final and deciding leg Hazell set again with five and again Bradford levelled. However this time Bradford won the leg on three sticks 2-1.

At The George Littlemore, Goodall won his first round game against Martin Herbert (Red Lion ‘A’ Eynsham) 2-0 and then defeated Tony Gillett (Rose Hill ‘A’ ) by the same score. Goodall then came up against team mate Andy Beal and won the opening leg 4-3. Beal then set six in the next leg which Goodall could not match. Beal then set four in the deciding leg, with Goodall clanging off the doll with his first five sticks to win the leg and game. In the final round he won the first leg 3-2 against Liam Purcell (Rose Hill ‘A’), but lost the next leg when Purcell set him four. Purcell could only set two in the final leg which Goodall passed with his first three sticks. Last years runner up Kevin Giles went out in the first round to Barry Townsend (Cricketers ‘B’) 2-1 in a close fought game.

At The Ampleforth Arms Dick Walsh had a bye in the first round and then beat Martin Cook (Gladiators ‘A’) 2-0 in the second round. In the next round two scores of 5 & 4 was enough to send Steve Bayliss ( Rose Hill ‘A’ ) packing. His opponent in the final game, Kevin Baker (Cricketers ‘B’) just got the better over Tommy Recht (Garsington Sports ‘A’) in the first round. Baker won the first leg 5-4 after Recht set but lost the next leg 4-3. Baker won the deciding leg 4-3.
In the next round he lost the first leg against Steve Greenough (Garsington sports ‘A’) 4-3 but two sets of five in the next two legs saw him through to the final game.
In the final round Walsh set six and won the opening leg, with Baker replying with a six of his own in the next leg. The deciding leg Walsh set four which proved to be too much for Baker.

At The Cricketers Darren Cox had a scare in the second round against James Bennett (Six Bells Quarry) after clanging off a six to win the first leg he was then set three in the second leg. Cox tied that and three sticks were also tied. Cox eventually winning the leg and game on one stick. He then had a fairly easy ride into the final round beating Mick Berry (Red Lion ‘A’) 2-0.
In the final round Cox beat John Horton (New Club ‘A’) 2-0 in the leg scores of 4-3 & 3-2.

In The Ted Houghton singles for players in the lower sections, will also have a new name on it as last years runner up Brian Reidy from The Golden Ball will play Steve Buckle from The Blackbird who both battled their way to the final from two different venues.
At Garsington Sports Club, Reidy beat Clifford Lewis (Donnington Club ‘C’) 2-0 and then just got the better over Dean Plumstead (Florence Park ‘B’). Reidy won the first leg on three sticks after it was tied 3-3. Plumstead levelled in the next leg 3-2 and should have won the deciding leg after Reidy could only set 2, but he could only knock the doll off once to send Reidy through to the final round, where he met Craig Greenough (Original Swan ‘A’). Two sets of four against Greenough saw Reidy through to the final.
Greenough had earlier knocked out Nigel Bower after a long drawn out game. The opening leg was tied on six, three and one stick before Greenough won it back on six sticks 2-1. The second leg was also tied with Greenough winning it on three sticks again.

At The Gladiators, in an early round Buckle done well to beat Steve Jessop (Golden Ball) 2-1 in the leg scores of 3-1, 3-4, 3-2.
He then beat Dave Soanes (Donnington Club ‘C’) 2-0. After winning the first leg he had to rely on a one stick shoot out after six and three sticks were tied.
In the final round he beat Elliot Greenough (Original Swan’A’) 2-1.
Highlight of these singles was Mick Richardson (North Oxford Con Club) who clanged off a six after being set five by Marc Joines (Donnington Club ‘C’) in an earlier round.

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