Singles Report

Games played Wednesday 27th July

Oxford Singles competition.(Open to all)

There will be a new name on the Oxford Singles Cup as all eight players that battled their way into the quarter finals, Roger Goodall (New Club A), Chris Jenkins (Gladiators A) Darren Cox (Florence Park A) Rob Bradford (Black Prince) Adam Baker (Donnington Club D) Pete Sellar (The Crown) Pete Rampton (Six Bells D )& Luke Purcell (The George A) have never won the trophy, and indeed only Goodall has ever taken part in the final.
Played at four different venues down to the last two at Garsington Sports Club Roger Goodall and Chris Jenkins both got through.
Goodall had a comfortable first round win over Graham Hambridge (Bullnose A) chasing two sets of 2 & 1 he easily passed them with sticks to spare. In the next round against Phil Austin (Black Prince) it went to the deciding leg after the first two were shared. Austin set 3 in the deciding leg but it was not enough as Goodall went pass that with a reply of 4. In the next round Goodall came up against the in form James Morrison (The George A) who had been throwing superbly all night. In the first round he had a ding dong battle in the first leg against one time winner and twice runner up Den Sellar (The Crown). Morrison won the first leg on three sticks with Sellar levelling in the next leg on a one stick shoot out. Morrison winning the third leg with a set of 5.
He then demolished Grant Brown (The Bullnose A) with two scores of 5 and then came up against Goodall. Nerves seemed to have got hold of Morrison as he could only set one in the opening leg which Goodall passed with ease. Morrison composed himself in the next leg and a set of 5 saw him level the game. Goodall won the toss in the final leg and put Morrison in and he clanged off four dolls. Goodall matched that to send it to three sticks. Morrison ready to set in the three sticks was shocked to see Goodall put himself in and he clanged off 2 out of 3. Morrison could not match that so the 2014 runner up went through to the quarter finals.
Chris Jenkins was the other winner at this venue after a high scoring opening round against Steve Bayliss (The George A). Bayliss set 4 in the first leg with Jenkins responding in style with 5. Jenkins then went in the next leg with another 5 which Bayliss just fell short with 4.
Jenkins then beat team mate Kevin Baker in the next round. With it nicely poised at 1-1 Baker set 4 in the deciding leg. Once again Jenkins was up to the task and clanged off the five dolls needed. He then deposed of Liam Purcell (The George) 2-0 in the next round.
At the Red Lion Old Marston Pete Sellar (The Crown) battled his way through. He came up against twice runner up Steve Walton (Donnington Club D) in the first round and won the first leg 4-3 and the second on three sticks after it was tied 3-3. The next round his opponent was 2010 runner up Andy Beal (Gladiators A). Sellar set and won the opener 4-3. Beal levelled in the next leg with a set of 5. Final and deciding leg Sellar set with 5 which was enough to see him through.
Adam Baker was the other winner. Against Charlie Buckingham (who in the previous round beat last year’s winner Geoff Townsend, Gladiators 2-0) Baker set and won the first leg 4-2. The next leg had to go back to six sticks 3-2 in Buckingham’s favour, after a three and one stick shoot out could not separate them. Baker winning the final leg 3-1. The next round Keith Powell (The Swan A) gave Baker a run for his money. Baker won the first leg with a set of 5. Powell levelled in the next leg on three sticks, with Baker finally getting though in the deciding leg on a one stick shoot out.
At The George Littlemore Rob Bradford (Black Prince) got through without dropping a leg. He had a bye in the first round and then beat fancied Kevin Giles (Gladiators A) 2-0 with two scores of 4. Another score of 4 saw Bradford win the opening leg against Steve Greenough (Garsington Sports A) in the next round, and a set of 1 by Greenough in the next leg was no where near enough to trouble Bradford.
Darren Cox also got through without dropping a leg which also saw him hit the only six of the night. He also had a bye in the early round and then beat John Greenaway (The Swan A) 2-0. Chasing a set of 3 in the opening leg Cox hit 4, he then went on to set six in the next leg which saw him through. The next round Cox set 4 against Lee Hazell (The Swan A) which proved to be enough. Hazell set 4 in the next leg which Cox matched then went on to win the leg and game on three sticks.
At The Chequers Quarry, qualifier Luke Purcell (The George A) almost went out at the first hurdle in the opening round. Against Willy Waite (The Bullnose A) Purcell could only muster up a score of one which Waite passed with his first two sticks. Waite then set 3 in the next leg, but Purcell was up for it and hit 4 in reply to level the game. He then set 4 in the final leg which was enough to see him through. Purcell then beat Ray Grant (The Woodman) in the next round 2-0 and then came up against Jon Townsend (The Swan A) which produced a thriller. Chasing a set of 4 in the first leg Purcell clanged off 5 to win the leg. Purcell then set 4 in the next leg, with Townsend responding well with 5 to level the game. The final and deciding leg Purcell hit another 5 which was enough to give him victory.
Pete Rampton was the other winner, beating Jonny McMahon (Bullnose A) 2-0 and then Ray Townsend (North Oxford Con Club) 2-0.

Ted Houghton Singles (Section 4 and lower)

There will also be a new name in the Ted Houghton singles as Garry Rees, Dave Simms James Dineen (The Blackbird) Phil Hounslow (Red Lion Marston) David Lammin (Florence Park B) Kevin Flynn (Donnington Club B) Liam Coaster (Masons arms B) and Ian Bowler (Littlemore B.L.) got through to the quarter finals. None of these players ever tasted being in the singles final.
At The Vikings Club Liam Costar defeated Ian Watson (Donnington Club B) 2-0 and then beat last year’s winner Yorkie Finney (The Blackbird) 2-1. Finney won the opening leg and in the second leg Costar responded in style by whipping off all six sticks which won him the leg. He then secured victory in the final leg chasing a set of 2 clanged off the three dolls needed.
Kevin Flynn will join him after a close fought 2-1 victory in the first round against Dean Plumstead in which two of the legs went to three sticks. Flynn then saw off 2014 winner Steve Buckle (The Blackbird) 2-0.
At The Golden Ball Dave Simms (The Blackbird) had an epic last round game against John Flynn Snr (Donnington Club B). Simms won the first leg and then could only set one in the next leg. Flynn struggled in reply and could only match the one score. They both blobbed out in the three and one stick and so back to six sticks. Simms set and won with a score of three.
Ian Bowler (Littlemore B.L.) just got the better over Andy Lewis (Red Lion Marston) in an early round 2-1 and then chasing two sets of 2 & 3 by Arthur Bowers (Rose Hill Club B) Bowler beat both scores by the odd doll that was needed.
At The Gladiators Club, in the final round Phil Hounslow (Red Lion Marston) was drawn against Tom Finney (The Blackbird) which turned out to be a tight game. Hounslow set and won the first leg 4-3 and then clinched victory in the next leg with a score of three after being set two.
James Dineen (The Blackbird) had to be in top form against Mark Simpson (Donnington Club A) in an early round. Simpson set and won the first leg 4-2 but Dineen hit back immediately with a set of 5 in the next leg to draw level. The final and deciding leg Dineen set four which was just enough as Simpson fell one short with 3. He then had two comfortable wins in the next rounds beating Wayne Grey (Donnington Club A) 2-0 and Wayne Townsend (Red Lion Cassington) 2-0.
At The Masons Arms David Lammin (Florence Park B) had to rely on a one stick shoot out to beat Steve Trotter (Donnington Club B) to win his opening leg but then hit four to win the next leg and game. In the next round Mick Richardson (North Oxford Con Club) clanged off a five to win the first leg but Lammin hit back to level in the next leg on three sticks. Lammin winning to deciding leg 3-2.
Garry Rees (The Blackbird) set and won with five in his opener against Richard Berry (Littlemore B.L.) and then secured victory in the next leg on one stick after scores of 2 & 1 were tied.
In the next round Ken Bradbury (The Cricketers) gave Rees a run for his money. Bradbury won the first leg on three sticks with Rees hitting four in the next leg to tie the game. Final and deciding leg Rees won on three sticks 2-1 after it was tied 3-3 on six sticks.

QUARTER FINALS OF ALL THE SINGLES WILL BE PLAYED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH Venue to be decided.

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