Week 15 Report

REPORT WEEK 15
The race for the Premier title has turned from a two into a three horse race after the top two Black Prince and Garsington Sports Club ‘A’ both lost for the second consecutive week. Black Prince went down at home to The Swan ‘A’ which in turn has brought The Swan right back into contention and are now only two points off the top. It started off well for The Prince winning the opening leg 27-17. Swan hit straight back winning the next leg 26-19. Third and deciding leg Prince set a reasonable 26 but The Swan were now on song and hit 28 in return to win the leg and game.
Garsington Sports ‘A’ succumbed to Premier holders Gladiators Club ‘A’ 2-1. All the damage was done in the first two legs with Glad’s winning them both 22-19, 25-22. Garsington grabbed a precious point in the final leg 28-24. Darren Cox for Garsington was in top form with fourteen dolls (6-4-4) while The Glad’s Kevin Baker bagged himself a six in his dozen dolls (2-6-4).
The Section One title looks like going down to the wire with The Swan ‘B’ holding top spot after they beat The Woodman 2-1 in a mixture of scoring. Swan won the opening leg 23-16 but a score of 27 from The Woodman in the next leg saw them draw level after The Swan could only hit 19 in reply. Swan made sure of victory in the final leg 25-15. Mark Hewitson was top dog for The Swan with thirteen dolls (3-5-5).
The George are waiting to pounce but dropped a precious point away at The Chequers ‘C’ . They raced to a two nil lead wining the opening legs 28-26, 29-24 but couldn’t complete the whitewash when they lost the final leg 21-26. Geoff Townsend for The Chequers (4-4-6) and Kevin Stuart for The George (6-4-4) both threw well for their fourteen dolls, while James Morrison chipped in with thirteen dolls ( 3-5-5)for The George.
Six Bells ‘E’ title ambitions took a massive hit when they lost to The Three Pigeons 2-1. Playing with a player short Bells done well to win the first leg 24-18 but that was to be their only success as Pigeons hit back in the next two legs 26-21, 28-19. Fred Sawyer was in top form for The Bells with fourteen dolls (4-5-5).

In Section 2 leaders Bullnose Morris ‘A’ almost came unstuck at bottom placed Black Horse ‘B’. They sneaked the first leg by the odd doll 17-16 but lost the next by the same score. Final and deciding leg Bullnose set and won 20-15.
Tiddington Cricket Club started off well at home to title chasers Red Lion ‘A’ Yarnton winning the first leg 19-14. However it went all downhill from there as they could only muster up two scores of 10 in the next two legs which The Red Lion easily passed with 16 & 17 in reply.

Section 3 leaders Ampleforth Arms ‘A’ won their sixth game on the bounce when they beat Littlemore British Legion ‘A’ 3-0. Going in to the third leg two up , 19-17, 20-16 the third leg was tied 15-15. Ampleforth set and won the three stick shootout 10-9 to give them a maximum win and go three points clear.
Donnington Club ‘C’ are keeping up the pressure as they beat close rivals Red Lion ‘A’ Marston 3-0. Donnington easily won the opening leg 16-7, but had a tougher fight in the next two legs winning them 19-17, 19-17.
Seamus O’Malley was in red hot form as he clanged off fourteen dolls (4-5-5) for Six Bells ‘B’ Kidlington but it was all in vain as they lost 2-1 to Rose Hill Club. The first leg went to Rose Hill on three sticks after it was tied 17-17. Bell’s levelled in the next leg 18-16. Rose Hill set the deciding leg with 22. A mixed reply from The Bell’s left anchor man O’Malley needing all six to tie and he nearly pulled it off, clanging five dolls off he just fell short with his sixth stick to fall one short with 21.

Vikings Sports ‘B’ lead Section 4 by three points after defeating visitors The New Club 2-1. With the game nicely poised at one each 19-15,13-15 New Club set 17 in the final leg. Mick Henley got Vikings off to the perfect start in reply with a six as they hit 20 to win the leg.
The George ‘B’ dropped a point at home to The Cricketers Arms. They won the first two legs 17-13, 12-10 but couldn’t complete the maximum win when The Cricketers set and won the final leg 13-11.
The Six Bells ‘A’ Kidlington keep in contention with a 2-1 win at Red Lion ‘B Marston. The opening leg was tied 19-19 with The Bells taking it on three sticks. They then went two up in the next leg 17-14. Desperately needing that third leg Bells set 16, however it was not quite enough as Lion’s anchor man Stuart Fitchett whipped off the four dolls needed to win the leg by the odd doll with 17.

Section 5 leaders Red Lion ‘B’ Yarnton crashed at home to lowly Florence Park Club ‘B’ 2-1 at home. This was Florence Park’s best score all season as they raced into a two nil lead 17-15, 18-17. Lion salvaged a point in the final leg by the smallest of margin 15-14. Keith Bull was top man for the Florence Park with eleven dolls (4-4-3).
The Swan ‘C’ took full advantage as they swept aside The White Hart ‘A’ Wolvercote 3-0 in the leg scores of 13-8, 18-14, 18-9.
The Blackbird are still in touching distance despite dropping a leg at home to Northway Club ‘C’. After comfortably winning the first two legs 14-12, 20-12 the final leg was tied 14-14 with Northway winning it on three sticks.

Section 6 leaders Seacourt Bridge defeated close rivals Cowley Workers 2-1 at home, although after the first leg you would not have thought possible. Seacourt could only muster up a set of 9 in the first leg, with The Workers sailing past that with 16. A better set of 20 in the second leg to Workers reply of 13 saw Seacourt draw level. Workers set 12 in the final leg but it was not quite enough as Seacourt hit 14 in reply to go one point clear.
Vikings D slip into second spot after an easy win at home to Kidlington Football Club 15-11, 18-12, 16-8.
Lee McAllister hit his best score of the season (4-2-5) to guide Prince of Wales to a 2-1 win at Littlemore British Legion ‘B’. Prince won the first leg 17-15, Legion hitting straight back in the next leg 15-14 before Prince won the decider 16-14.

Richard Butler was in top form for Section 7 pace setters The Tandem as he clanged off a six in his twelve doll haul in their 3-0 annihilation at home to Marston British Legion ‘A’, 14-5, 16-9, 13-10.
Chequers ‘B’ title ambitions faltered after they lost away at Northway Club ‘B’ 2-1. All the damage was done in the first two legs which Northway won 11-9, 13-12. Chequers hit back well in the last leg to grab a point 15-9.

In the top of the table clash in Section 8, the last unbeaten record in the league went down when Donnington Club ‘D’ lost away to The Catherine Wheel ‘A’ 3-0. In a high scoring game for this section Catherine Wheel set and won the opener 17-13. Donnington set the next leg with 10 which was not quite enough as Catherine Wheel hit 13 in reply, and then set a healthy 19 in the final leg. Donnington gave a good effort in reply but just fell short by two dolls with 17.
White Hart Wytham recorded their third victory of the season when they defeated Gladiators ‘C 3-0 at home and smashed in a massive set of 21 in the second leg. They won all three legs 8-7, 21-11, 12-4.

SIXERS : D.Cox, A.Shepherd (Garsington Sports ‘A’) K.Baker (Gladiators ‘A’) G.Wilsdon (Black Prince) A.Keenan (The Woodman)R.Butler (The Tandem)
M.Henly (Vikings Sports ‘B’) K.Neal (Florence Park Club 'A')G.Townsend (Chequers 'C' ) K.Stuart (The George 'A')

BLOBBERS: T.Barrett (Red Lion ‘A’ Marston) L.Filler (Cricketers Arms) M.Darch (Masons Arms ‘B’)


TOP DOLL SCORERS:
14: D.Cox (Garsington Sports ‘A’) P.Sawyer (Six Bells ‘E) S.O’Malley (Six Bells ‘B’)G.Townsend (Chequers 'C') K.Stuart (George 'A')
13: K.Powell (The Swan ‘A’) M.Hewitson (The Swan ‘B’)J.Morrison (George 'A')

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