Week 9 Report

REPORT WEEK 9

At the halfway stage in the league, the wind played havoc at some venues which reflected in some of the scoring. Premier leaders The Swan ‘A’ crashed to a 2-1 defeat at The Red Lion ‘A’ Yarnton in a low scoring game, where only three players managed to hit double figures. Lion set and won the first two legs 23-18, 20-16 before The Swan snatched a point in the final leg 23-18.
Gladiators ‘A’ took full advantage of the Swans slip up with a 3-0 win at windswept Garsington Sports Club. The club men set 19 in the opening leg and in reply a six from Chris Jenkins steered The Glad’s past that with 28. Glad’s set and won the next leg 24-18 and then completed the whitewash in the final leg 24-22. Barry Townsend playing his first game this season was top dog for The Gladiators with thirteen dolls (4-4-5).
A six from Neil Pratley helped The Woodman hit a substantial 29 in their opening leg at home to The George ‘A’ which was more than enough to give them an early lead when The George could only reply with 22. Second leg went to The George 27-25 to set up a thrilling final leg which The Woodman won 26-20. Liam Purcell for The George who started off with a one followed that up with two fives to top score with eleven dolls, while Charlie Buckingham hit a dozen dolls (3-5-4) for The Woodman.
Jimmy Kent had no problem with the wind as he whipped off fourteen dolls (5-5-4) to guide the New Club ‘A’ to a 3-0 win at The Chequers ‘A’. They won all three legs 26-18, 26-10, 23-16 and leaves The Chequers still seeking their first win of the season.
The Black Prince got off to flyer at The Swan ‘B’ when they easily won the opening leg 29-12, however that would be their only success of the night as The Swan levelled in the next leg on three sticks after it was tied 21-21 and then set and won the deciding leg 23-22. Mick Phipps hit a baker’s dozen (4-6-3) for The Prince.

Section 2 leaders Six Bells ‘D’ Kidlington came away from The Bullnose ‘A’ with a determined 2-1 win in a close game. Bullnose set the first leg with 15 and in reply a three from anchor man Steve Ward gave the Bells victory by one doll with 16. Bells set the next leg with 19 and this time a three from The Bullnose anchor man Willy Waite gave them a draw to send it to three sticks which The Bullnose won 11-10. Final and deciding leg Bullnose set with 16 which proved to be no problem for the Bells as they hit 22 in return to win the leg and game.
Donnington Club ‘C’ title ambitions took a hit when they lost 2-1 at Tiddington Cricket Club. It proved unlucky for Donnington in the first leg when they could only hit thirteen, Tiddington just going past that with 15 in reply. Donnington hit straight back in the next leg to level 21-19. The final and conclusive leg Tiddington set 24 thanks to a six from Mike Robinson & Pete Shepherd. Donnington started of well in reply but a dip in the middle meant they fell one short with 23 to condemn them to their second defeat of the season.
The wind didn’t effect Dave Simms (4-5-5) or Mark Washington (5-4-5) from The Ampleforth Arms ‘A’ as they both clanged off fourteen dolls in their 2-1 win at Donnington Club ‘A’. They had to do it the hard way though coming from behind after they lost the opening leg by the smallest of margins 19-20. The next two legs were never in doubt as they set and won them both 22-14, 27-16.

Littlemore British Legion ‘A’ struggles in Section 3 continue when they lost to leaders Gladiators Club ‘B’ 2-1. It was all over after the first two legs, Glad’s winning them both 23-18, 26-13, although Legion did hit back in the final leg 21-20 to prevent the whitewash.
Second place Seacourt Bridge could not believe their luck against third place Six Bells ‘A’ Kidlington when they were only set 10. Seacourt more than doubled that in reply with 23. Things changed in the next leg when Bells set and won 19-15 to level the game. Seacourt set the final leg with 18 hoping that would be enough, but a four from Bells anchor man Alan Wood was enough to secure the leg by the odd doll with 19.
Queens Head also keep up the pressure on the leaders with a close 2-1 win at The New Club ‘B’. With the game nicely poised at one leg each Queens Head set the final leg with 21. A good start in the chase by New club faltered near the end and they fell one short with 20.

It’s still very close in Section 4 and Cowley Workers Club boosted their chances with a 2-1 win at The Blackbird.
It didn’t look good for the Workers when they lost the opening leg 14-10 but they bounced back in the next two legs 15-13, 17-13. Eamon Hanlon hit a baker’s dozen (3-5-5) for The Workers.
Leaders Catherine Wheel ‘B’ got back on the winning trail with a tight close game at Green Road Club ‘A’. They won the first leg by the odd doll 11-10 and then the next 19-14. Wheel could not complete the maximum win when Green Road set and won the last leg 13-10. Bob Brown for The Catherine Wheel hit double figures (4-4-3) for the first time in his short Aunt Sally career.


Vikings Sports ‘C’ move into second spot in Section 5 with a routine 3-0 win over basement boys The Tandem in the scores of 11-10, 15-7, 15-11.
Title challengers Cricketers Littleworth came unstuck at The Red Lion ‘B’ Old Marston where they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat. Lion blew them away in the first two legs 21-11, 20-16 however Cricketers redeemed themselves in the final leg to win it 19-16. Ian Sharp from Red Lion was in superb form with thirteen dolls (5-4-4).
The Swan ‘C’ Eynsham la at the bottom of the table shocked visitors Vikings Sports ‘B’ by beating them 2-1 in the leg scores of 17-13, 19-9, 12-17. Steve Reeves was top dog for Vikings with a dozen dolls (3-4-5).

Section 6 leaders Red Lion ‘B’ Kidlington fell to their second defeat of the season when they lost 2-1 to close rivals Prince Of Wales. A thirteen set in the opening leg was enough to give the Lion an early lead when the Prince could only hit eleven in reply. The Prince turned it around in the next two legs setting and winning them both 16-12, 17-15.
The Chequers ‘B’ have scored more dolls than any other team in the section but its points that count, and they fell to another 2-1 defeat despite matching Bletchington Sports total dolls. It looked good for The Chequers when they won the first leg 15-13 but Bletchington levelled in the next leg 16-14. Into the final leg and nothing could separate them as they both hit 12 apiece. The Sports club came out on top in the three sticks to claim victory.
Kidlington Football Club ‘A’ keep up the pressure at the top after a fine 2-1 win at The Duke Of Monmouth. With the game poised at 1-1 Kidlington set with nineteen in the final leg. Duke responded well and matched that. Three sticks could not separate them and so to the one stick shoot out that Club men accomplished to give them victory.
Phil Parker threw well for his eleven dolls (3-4-4) for Kidlington.

In Section 7 Red Lion Cassington’s title ambitions took a hammering when they lost 2-1 at home to Northway Club ‘B’. After the first leg which Lion dominated 12-4 a complete turnaround occurred with Northway winning the next two legs 11-8, 15-8.


SIXERS : M.Phipps (Black Prince) C.Jenkins (Gladiators ‘A’) N.Pratley (The Woodman) M.Robinson, P.Shepherd (Tiddington Cricket Club)

BLOBBERS: L.Constable (The Tandem) W.Taylor (Bletchingdon Sports) F.Delaney, E.Mazey (Democrats Club) J.Perks (Vikings Sports ‘D’)E.Hopkins (Littlemore B.L. 'B')


TOP DOLL SCORERS:
14: J.Kent (New Club ‘A’) D.Simms, M.Washington (Ampleforth Arms ‘A’)
13: M.Phipps (Black Prince) B.Townsend (Gladiators ‘A’) E.Hanlon (Cowley Workers) I.Sharp (Red Lion ‘B’ Marston) A.Surman (Six Bells ‘B’)

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