Singles Report

Games played Wednesday 26th July

Oxford Singles competition.(Open to all)

There could be a new name on the Oxford Singles Cup as all eight players that battled their way into the quarter finals, Rob Bradford (Black Prince),Steve Walton (Donnington Club ‘A’) Mark Rollins, Jeff Glenister (The Woodman) ,Mick Berry, Jon Townsend (The Swan ‘A’) Rob Bradford (Black Prince) Kevin Baker,& Dennis Butler (Gladiators ‘A’) have never won the trophy, except for Dennis Butler back in 2001.
Played at four different venues down to the last two, at Red Lion Old Marston Kevin Baker & Dennis Butler both got through.
Butler got of to the worse possible start in his first round match against Andrew Gorge from The Bullnose Morris ‘A’ when he recorded a blob in the opening leg. Butler found form in the next two legs with a 4 & 3 which saw him through. He had a comfortable 2-0 win over Ashley Keenan (The Woodman) in the next round and then came up against in form Pip Goulding from The New Club ‘A’). However it did not live up to its potential as Butler won the first leg chasing a dismal set of a blob. The second leg was tied 3-3 with Butler winning it on three sticks 2-1.
Kevin Baker had a bye in the first round and then dismissed Jason Fox (Six Bells Kidlington) 2-1 in the next round. Baker was then involved in the match of the night as he came up against Kevin Stuart from The George ‘A’. Baker set five in the first leg and in reply Stuart just fell short with four. Baker set again in the next leg with four but Stuart went past that with five to level the match. The final and deciding leg Baker set with four, with Stuart matching it. Baker finally winning the leg on three sticks with a set of two.
At The George Littlemore, Rob Bradford scrapped though in the first round against Graham Hambridge from The Bullnose Morris ‘A’. Both legs were tied 2-2 with Bradford winning them both on three sticks.
The next round he came up against 2014 winner Dick Walsh from The Swan ‘A’. With the game nicely poised at a leg each Walsh set the deciding leg with five. Bradford was not fazed by that and clanged off all six to snatch the leg and game.
Bradford them proceeded to the Quarter finals with a 2-0 win over Billy Trinder (Garsington Sports ‘A’) 4-3, 3-2.
Jeff Glenister struggled in his opening game against Yorkie Finney from The Blackbird. He only set two in the opening leg but it proved to be enough as Finney only hit one in reply. Finney then set and won the next leg 4-3 but Glenister came back in the final leg winning it 3-2.
His next game against Terry Stuart (The Swan ‘A’) was the longest of the night and could have gone either way. All three legs went to three or one stick. The opening leg Stuart won it on three sticks after it was tied 3-3. The second leg Glenister set four which Stuart matched. They both hit three in the three sticks, with Glenister winning it eventually on one stick 1-0.
David Leopold from The Black Prince stood in his way for a Quarter Final place and won the first leg 3-2. Glenister levelled in the next leg with a set of 4. Leopold set in the final leg with 3 which proved to be not enough as Glenister clanged off four dolls to give him victory.
At The Chequers Quarry the standard was not as high but there were some close games. Mark Rollins had a comfortable start against team mate Spencer Buckingham with scores of 4 & 5 to see him through.
James Morrison (The George’A’) set four in the next round but Rollins went past that with five and then won the next leg with 2 when chasing a set of only 1.
His next opponent Adam Baker (Donnington Club ‘A’) gave him a hard time. Rollins won the first leg on three sticks after it was tied 3-3. Baker levelled in the next leg also on three sticks after it was tied 3-3. The final and deciding leg Baker set 3. In reply Rollins clanged off four hitting the winning doll with his final stick..
Steve Walton beat Steve Ward from Six Bells Kidlington 2-0. The first leg on three sticks after it was tied 4-4 and then the next leg 4-2. A low scoring two legs in the next round against Charlie Buckingham (The Woodman) saw Buckingham win the first leg 2-1 and Walton levelling in the next leg on three sticks after it was tied 1-1. Walton finally hitting form in the final leg with a set of 5 which was enough to see him through.
He then saw of Barry Townsend (Gladiators ‘A’) 4-3, 3-2.
There was a shock in the first round when four times runner up Kevin Giles (Gladiators ’A’) went out to Paul Townsend from The Woodman. Townsend won the first leg 5-4, with Giles winning the next leg 5-3. Giles then set the final leg and astonishing failed to trouble the doll and blobbed out.
Even more bizarre, in the next round Townsend went out 2-0 when he blobbed out in each leg.

At The Three Horseshoes Mick Berry had a tough opener against Willy Waite (Bullnose Morris ‘A’). Berry won the first leg on three sticks after it was tied 3-3 and then wrapped up the game in the next leg chasing a set of 3 he hit 4. In the next round he beat team mate Daryll Simpson 3-2, 5-4, before beating Neil Pratley (The Woodman 2-1 in the next round.
Jon Townsend beat three times winner Neil Lyon (Three Pigeons) 2-1 in an early round and then had a ding dong battle against team mate Lee Hazell in the next. The opening leg was a marathon as it had to go back to a second three stick shootout before Hazell won it. Townsend responded well to win the next two legs 3-2, 4-3




Ted Houghton singles (Section 4 and lower)

There will be a new name in the Ted Houghton singles as Josh Breakspear from Donnington Club ‘C’ and Steve Jessop from Littlemore British Legion battled their way through to the final and neither of these players have ever tasted being in the singles final.
At The Blackbird Breakspear had a comfortable start against team mate Steven Rose winning both legs 3-2, 2-1. In the next round he was drawn against another team mate, Marc Joines. Breakspear won the opener 3-2 but Joines fought back to level in the next leg 4-2. Joines then set 4 in the deciding leg but Breakspear was up for the challenge and clanged off the five dolls he needed to win the game and progress to the semi-final, where he played the holder Liam Coster from The Masons Arms. Breakspear won the game with ease 4-X, 2-1.

At The Masons Arms Steve Jessop had to come from behind to beat team mate Richard Berry in an early round. Berry won the opener 3-2 before Jessop turned on the style I the next leg winning it 4-3 and then set and won the decider with a score of 5.
He then beat Glyn Millard from Vikings Sports ‘D’ 2-0, however the first leg went to a three stick shoot out.
In the semi final against Elliot Greenough (Donnington ‘C’) Jessop had to rely on another three stick throw after it was tied 3-3 and then secured his place in the final winning the next leg 3-1.

Sixers: R.Bradford (Black Prince)

QUARTER FINALS OF THE OXFORD SINGLES WILL BE PLAYED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH Venue to be decided, and finals night will be on Friday October 13th at The Kassam Stadium.

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