Week 12

Games played Wednesday 20th July

Darren Cox was in tremendous form as he clanged off sixteen dolls (5-5-6) to lead Florence Park A to a 2-1 win at Vikings Sports A and in turn revive their chances of the Section 3 title. Florence Park set and won the opening leg by the odd doll 20-19. The second leg was tied 20-20 with Vikings winning it on three sticks. The final and deciding leg Florence Park set with 19 and it turned out to be enough as Vikings fell four short with 15. Daren Trinder threw well for The Vikings with thirteen dolls (4-4-5).
Leaders Chequers A were defeated by their C team 2-1. The C team won the first leg on three sticks after it was tied 16-16 but the A team responded well in the next leg winning it at a canter 24-13. A set of 20 in the final leg by the C team was enough to give them victory as the A team could only reply with 14.
Vikings Sports B title ambitions were hit when they crashed to a maximum defeat away at The George B 3-0. After winning the first leg 17-12 The George won the next by the closest of margins 17-16 and then completed the whitewash in the final leg on three sticks after it was tied 22-22.
Tiddington Cricket Club and The Masons Arms A both hit the saw number of dolls but it was the Masons who sneaked it on the deciding leg. With the first two legs shared 15-14 the final leg was tied 17-17. Masons held their nerve the better and won the leg and game on a three stick shootout.

It’s as you were at the top of the Premier Section with the top two recording 2-1 victories. Leaders The Swan A beat Garsington Sports A at home 2-1 in a high scoring game. Swan set the opening leg with 28 and in reply Garsington gave it a good go but fell one short with 27. Garsington levelled in the next leg setting and winning it 26-23. Having a choice in the final leg Garsington decided to set and they couldn’t capitalise on the choice as they could only set with 22. The Swan sailed past that easily with 30. Dick Walsh (4-4-5) for The Swan and Ken Maunder (5-4-4) both hit a bakers dozen.
Gladiators A failed to take advantage and also dropped a leg at home to The George A. The first leg Gladiators scrapped by on three sticks after it was tied 23-23. The George set a respectable 28 in the second leg to tie the game with The Glad’s replying with only 24. The all important third leg Glad’s set and won 28-26. Kevin Stuart for The George was top dog with thirteen dolls (4-4-5).
New Club A gave themselves an outside chance with an inspiring hard fought 3-0 win at The Bullnose Morris. First leg Bullnose set an impressive 29, however New Club were up for it and won the leg with a reply of 30. New Club won the next leg 28-23 and then were set 22 in the final leg. It should have been a formality but they had to rely on their anchor man Pete Shepherd to whip off the winning dolls to end up with 24. Roger Goodall for The New Club was in top form with fifteen dolls (5-6-4) as was team mate Adrian Shepherd who hit 14 dolls (5-5-4).

Section 4 remains one of the tightest of the league and with six games to go any one of seven teams still have a chance of becoming champions. Leading by one point The Blackbird had a comfortable night at home to Red Lion A Marston 3-0. They won all three legs 18-10, 22-13, 19-11.
Donnington Club A faltered at home to The Three Horseshoes losing 2-1. The Shoes could only set 13 in the first leg, but a slow reply from Donnington’s front men done the damage as they fell one short with 12. Horseshoes went two up in the next leg 19-15. Donnington grabbed a point in the last leg 22-14. Phil Jackson for The Shoes bagged himself a six in his twelve doll haul.
Littlemore British Legion and Cricketers Arms fought out a spirited game where only one doll separated them over the three legs. Cricketers set the first leg with 18 and in reply The Legion left anchor man Steve Jessop four to win and he did not disappoint as he clanged of the four to win the leg by one doll. Cricketers set and won the next leg 19-17 to level the game and set for the third time in the last leg with 15. Once again Jessop came to the Legions rescue hitting another four this time to draw the leg. Legion then taking it on three sticks.

North Oxford Con Club A still languishes at the bottom of Section 5 but they were so unlucky not to come away with a victory at The Six Bells B Quarry. They lost the first leg by one doll 15-14 and then set 15 in the next leg. In reply Six Bells had to rely on their anchor man Gavin Lovatt to clang off the four dolls that was needed to tie the leg. They then went on to win the leg on three sticks. The club men could only muster up six in the last leg, but Six Bells only just went past that with 9 to give them maximum points.

The top two clashed in Section 6 and leaders Vikings Sports D strengthen their lead with a 3-0 win at The Pheasant. Vikings won the opening leg 13-10 but only just won the next two legs by the odd doll 19-18, 14-13.
The Chequers B had a mixed night at home to The Seacourt. After an easy win in the first leg 22-17 they could only hit six in the next leg, which Seacourt passed with 12. The deciding leg Chequers rallied and won it 17-14.
After losing their previous four games Rose Hill Club B finally got back to winning ways with a 3-0 win at home to White Hart. Arthur Bowers led the way with a dozen dolls including a six (6-3-3) in the leg scores of 17-15, 15-11, 14-14 last leg on three sticks.

In Section 7 leaders Northway Club A saw off their nearest challengers The Bullnose Morris B 2-1. Bullnose won the opening leg 15-12 with Northway levelling in the next leg 16-15. Bullnose set 16 in the deciding leg but Northway swept pass that with 20 to take them two points clear. Steve Bennett for Northway was top dog with a steady dozen dolls (4-4-4)
Marston British Legion shocked title contenders Green Road Club A by coming away with a 2-1 in a close game where only one doll separated the teams overall. Legion set and won the first leg 14-12 with Green Road winning the next leg 16-13. Green Road set the final leg with 16 which turned out not to be enough as The Legion replied with 18 to take the leg and game.

In Section 8 after winning six of their first seven games Kidlington Football Clubs decline continues after they lost 3-0 at Northway Club C. A poor set of 4 in the opening leg was not going to be enough as Northway hit 10 in reply. The next leg was tied 10-10 however Northway was too strong in the three sticks and won the leg. Northway went to town in the final leg and hit 19 which was too much for the football club who replied with 8.
Red Lion A Cassington put themselves back in contention with a 2-1 win at The Golden Ball B. Three scores of 12 saw them lose the first leg 14-12 but won the next two 12-11, 12-9.
Bottom club Democrats B grabbed an unexpected point at leaders The Black Horse. The Democrats could not have got off to a worse start as they could only hit 1 between them in the first leg, Black horse responding with 13. Democrats only got slightly better in the next leg with a set of 3 but again this was no trouble for the leaders who eased by with 15. From out of nowhere Democrats set 13 in the final leg, this seemed to rattle The Black Horse who could only reply with 12.

The top two teams in Section 9 both recorded 3-0 wins but could have easily dropped a silly leg. Leaders Golden Ball won at The White House Bladon, winning two of legs 12-10, 16-8 but scrapping by the middle leg 10-9.
Second place Bletchingdon Sports Club won the first two legs against visitors Gladiators C 13-6, 13-7, but just won the final leg by the odd doll 8-7.

SIXERS: T.Stuart (The Swan A) R.Goodall (New Club A) D.Cox (Florence Park A) P.Jackson (Three Horseshoes) A.Bowers (Rose Hill Club B)

BLOBBERS: S.Baker (North Oxford Con Club A) L.Sherlock (Kidlington F.C) A.Gregory (Red Lion A Cassington) K.Walls (Golden Ball B)
S.Price (Corner House) C.Grimes (Kings Arms ) C.Blackburn (Seacourt Bridge)

TOP DOLL SCORERS:
16: D.Cox (Florence Park A)
15: R.Goodall (New Club A)
14: A.Shepherd (New Club A)
13: N.Pratley (The Woodman) K.Stuart (The George) D.Walsh (The Swan A) K.Maunder (Garsington Sports A)

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