Week 13

Games played Wednesday 3rd August

The Premier Section race has been blown wide open after this weeks results. Leaders The Swan A came dramatically unstuck at Section One leaders Yarnton British Legion, falling to a 3-0 maximum loss. In wet and windy conditions The Swan could only manage a set of 16 in the opening leg. However Yarnton struggled in reply and only just scrapped by the odd doll with 17. Yarnton then set the next leg with 21, which should have been a formality for the leaders, but they struggled and could only reply with 18. The final leg Yarnton set with 23 and it proved to be more than enough as The Swan could only reply with 18 to give Legion a shock maximum win and boost their chances of the Section One crown.
The New Club A boosted their chances by beating The Gladiators A 2-1 in a high scoring game in which five sixes were hit. New Club set the opening leg with 28 and in reply a four from The Gladiators anchor man Keith Weller tied the leg. New Club set in the three sticks with a impressive 15, but The Glad’s were up for the challenge and hit 16 with a player to spare to win the leg. New club levelled in the next leg 30-25. The final and deciding leg Gladiators set with 27 but in reply a six from Robert Taylor and Roger Goodall helped the New Club go past that with 29 to clinch the leg and game. Goodall topped scored with fourteen dolls (5-3-6) and was well assisted by team mates Robert Taylor (4-3-6) and Pip Goulding (3-6-4), while Barry Townsend was top dog for The Glad’s with thirteen dolls (4-5-4). Den Butler & Kevin Giles were the other six hitters.
Rob Bradford was in top form with thirteen dolls (6-3-4) for The Black Prince as they came from behind to beat Garsington Sports A 2-1 for whom Barry Ruffels also hit thirteen dolls (4-6-3). The opening leg Garsington set and won 27-21 , but the Black Prince hit back immediately in the next leg 29-23. The deciding leg the sportsmen could only muster up a set of 18 which The Prince passed with ease hitting 24 in reply to clinch the game.
The Bullnose Morris A had an impressive 3-0 away win at an underachieving The Woodman, 23-21, 28-22, 25-21.
Six Bells A Quarry are still struggling to come to terms in Section One and lost for the eleventh time, this time at home to The George A. They lost the first two legs 22-19, 21-16 but did manage to grab a point in the final leg 19-14.

The Crown top section 2 after they beat Six Bells A Kidlington 3-0 at home. Pete Sellar led the way with a bakers dozen (5-5-3) as they won all three legs 21-20, 22-18, 19-13.
The Swan B who has been at the summit for most of the season slipped to another defeat this time at home to Donnington Club D in dramatic fashion. With the game nicely poised at one leg each The Swan set the third leg with 23. In reply Donnington left anchor man Steve Walton needing all six to win the leg and he did not disappoint as he clanged off all six to secure the leg and win. Walton top scored with fourteen dolls (4-4-6).

Runaway Section 3 leaders The Chequers A suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at home to Vikings Sports A and give the chasing pack some hope. It was a poor team performance that saw them lose the first leg on three sticks after it was tied 17-17 and then go onto to lose the next two legs 17-10, 15-13.

It is so tight at the top of Section 4 its impossible to call who is going win it as six teams are still within a chance. The Blackbird lost the lead after they fell away at Littlemore British Legion in a close contest. The opening leg was tied 19-19 with the Legion winning it on three sticks. Legion went two up in the next leg, winning it by the finest of margins 18-17. Blackbird grabbed a point in the final leg 13-11.
Donnington Club A leapfrogged The Blackbird after beating The Berkshire 3-0 on their own patch. After winning the first two legs 21-12, 17-14 they were set 18 in the final leg. In reply Donnington left their anchor man Phil Simpson three to win and he duly obliged hitting the winning doll with his final stick to round off a good night.
Garsington Sports B dropped a leg away at lowly Green Road Club B. The opening leg Garsington could only set 13 which Green Road Club breezed past with 18. Garsington recovered well in the next two legs winning them 22-16, 17-12 to move within a point of the leaders.
Red Lion A Marston hopes were dented when they lost at home to Masons Arms B who had lost their previous eleven games. The Lion had a disastrous opening leg hitting only ten in reply to Masons set of 15. Red Lion came back well in the second leg to level 19-13 but lost the deciding third leg 19-14.

Section 5 leaders The Black Swan had to dig deep to beat a resilient Red Lion B Marston team. Swan won the first leg 22-15 but a set of 21 by The Lion in the next leg was too much for The Swan who could only reply with 13. Swan grabbing victory in the final leg 21-16 for whom Eamon Hanlon threw well for his thirteen dolls (5-4-4). Phil Hounslow was top dog for The Lion with ten dolls.

The Fox & goat move off the foot of Section 6 with a maximum 3-0 win at home to Rose Hill Club B in the leg scores of 10-9, 15-8, 17-8.
The Pheasant are still in second place despite winning at home 3-0 against The Chequers B. It was a comfortable win as they won all three legs 15-11, 18-11, 17-12.

There are still six teams still with a chance of claiming the Section 7 title and Northway Club A still lead the chasing pack but were come unstuck at Florence Park B crashing to a heavy 3-0 defeat. Northway set all three legs with 14 but Florence Park went pass that each time with replies of 16-17-17.
Second place Bullnose Morris B lost at home to third place Green Road Club A 2-1. The Club men set 14 in the opening leg but in reply Bullnose fell to pieces and could only hit 8 in reply. They composed themselves well in the next leg to win it comprehensively 22-14. The third and final leg Bullnose set with 11 which was not enough as Green Road passed it with 15 to give them victory.
Northway Club B ambitions were severely dented when they crashed at home to Red Lion B Casington who had lost their previous eight games. The Lion won the first leg impressively 19-11 . Northway levelling in the next leg 19-12. The deciding leg was tied 12-12 with The Lion winning it on three sticks. Marcus Bunning threw well for The Lion hitting ten dolls (3-3-4).
Original Swan A faltered in their tracks as they collapsed to a 3-0 defeat at Marston British Legion, although the game was much closer than the score suggests. The first leg Legion set and won 11-9. The Swan set the next two legs with 13 & 11 but Marston went passed them by the odd doll winning them both with replies of 14 & 12.

Section 8 leaders The Black Horse were demolished at The Cricketers Arms 3-0 who boosted their chances of the title with this win. A good all round team performance saw them easily through 18-10, 14-9, 15-9.
Red Lion A Cassington move to within a point after beating The White Hart at home 2-1 but it could have easily been a 2- defeat. They won the first leg 12-7 and lost the next on three sticks after it was tied 12-12. The final leg was also went to a three stick shoot out after it was tied 8-8. This time The Lion clinching it on three sticks.

Teams in Section 9 please note that The Corner House have pulled out of the league.

SIXERS: R.Taylor, P.Goulding, R.Goodall (New Club A) K.Giles, D.Butler (The Gladiators A) D.Armstrong (The Crown)
S.Walton (Donnington Club D)

BLOBBERS: R.Trafford (North Oxford Con Blub A) P.Lawrence (Vikings Sports C) W.Branstone (Northway Club B)
M.Davey (Marston B.L.) D.Havard (Black Horse) A.Bracey (Headington Con Club)

TOP DOLL SCORERS:
14: R.Goodall (New Club A) S.Walton (Donnington Club D)
13: R.Taylor, P.Goulding (New Club A) B.Townsend (Gladiators A) P.Sellar (The Crown) E.Hanlon (Black Swan)

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