Singles Report

OXFORD SINGLES COMPETITION

Played at four different venues down to the two finalists at each, Roger Goodall & Phil Austin (Black Prince), Kevin Stuart & Billy Trinder (The George ‘A’) Steve Ward (Six Bells ‘D’) Geoff Townsend (Chequers ‘C’) Dave Simms (Ampleforth Arms ‘A’) & Kevin Giles (Gladiators ‘A’) all battled their way through to the Oxford Singles Quarter Finals to be played on Monday September 2nd.

Played at The Red Lion Marston, the holder Mark Rollins (The Woodman) went out in the first round when he lost to Phil Austin (Black Prince) 2-1. Austin was then drawn against team mate Mick Phipps in the next round and he won the opening leg 4-2. Phipps set the next leg with a formidable five, however this proved to be no problem for Austin as he clanged off all six to win the leg and go through to the play offs. Joining him will be last year’s runner up Kevin Stuart from the George ‘A’ who defeated Paul Townsend (The Woodman) 2-1 in a close game. Townsend won the first leg 3-2 and then set three in the next two legs. Two scores of four in reply from Stuart saw him through to the next round where he came up against Keith Powell (The Swan ‘A’). A good set of five from Stuart saw him sneak the opening leg when Powell replied with four, missing with his final stick. Powell set the next leg with three which was never going to be enough as Stuart whipped off the four dolls to see him through.

There was some exciting and excellent throwing at The George Littlemore where four times runner up Kevin Giles (Gladiators ‘A’) and 2014 runner up and former World Champion Roger Goodall battled their way through. Giles beat Adam Baker (Donnington Club ‘A’) 2-1 in the first round and he then defeated Adrian Shepherd 2-1 in the next round with consistent leg scores of 4-3, 4-5, 4-2. Giles then was drawn against Jeff Glenister (The Woodman) who had been throwing well all night and had not dropped a leg. An explosive start by Giles saw him set a maximum six and take the first leg. Glenister then set four in the second leg which Giles matched. In the three stick shoot out Glenister set with two, however Giles was on form and whipped off all three to win the leg and game.
Roger Goodall had a battle in the first round against Pip Goulding (Tiddington Cricket Club) where each leg could have gone either way. Goodall won the first leg when chasing 4-3. The next leg was tied 3-3 as was three sticks 2-2. Goulding levelling on the one stick shoot out 1-0. Goodall then went on to win the final and deciding leg again 4-3 when chasing.
The next round was a high scoring exhilarating game against Ian Bowler from Littlemore British Legion ‘A’. Goodall taking an early lead when once more chasing a set of three he hit four to win the leg. Goodall then set a maximum six in the next leg and was looking forward to see who he would play in the next round. Bowler, however had other ideas and clanged off all six to tie, and then go on to win the leg on three sticks 2-1. The all-important toss in the final leg went to Bowler and he chose to put Goodall in and it back fired as he whipped off five dolls. Unfortunately Bowler couldn’t match his heroics from the previous leg and fell well short.
In the next round it was a case of ‘after the lord mayors show’ when Goodall squeezed past Ian McAteer from The Black Prince 2-1 who set each leg in the scores of 3-2, 2-4, 3-2.

At The Chequers, two players who have never played in the final before Billy Trinder (George ‘A’) and Dave Simms (Ampleforth Arms ‘A’) have given themselves a chance to taste it. In the first round Trinder beat six times runner up Kevin Baker (Gladiators ‘A’) in a low key 2-0 win. The first leg on three sticks after it was tied 2-2 and the next leg 3-2. The next round he beat team mate Tony Gillett 2-1 in another low scoring game, 2-1, 1-2, 3-2.
The final game Trinder was up against Neil Pratley (The Woodman) and with the game nicely poised at a leg each a set of four from Trinder was enough to see him through in the final leg.
Dave Simms (Ampleforth Arms ‘A’) disposed of Brian Lester (George ‘A’) in the first round 2-0 and then had an epic battle against Pete Shepherd from Tiddington Cricket Club. The first leg had to be decided on the second round of three sticks after the first throw was tied 4-4, three sticks 3-3, the one stick shoot out was tied 1-1. Back to six sticks and that was tied 4-4 before eventually Simms won it three sticks 2-0. Simms then set five in the next leg and in return Shepherd fell desperately short by one doll with four, missing with his last stick.
Simms was then pitted up against James Morrison (George’ A’) and won the opening leg 4-2. Morrison set three in the next leg and it proved to be enough as Simms missed with his first four sticks. Final and deciding leg Simms set with four which Morrison matched. Simms going on to take the leg and match on three sticks with a set of three.

The final pair to go through played at Littlemore British Legion is Geoff Townsend (Chequers ‘C’) and Steve Ward (Six Bells ‘D’ Kidlington) and they both could quite easily have gone out in the early rounds. Ward, runner up in 2011 was drawn against Chris Jenkins (Gladiators ‘A’) in the first round and only one doll separated them through all three legs. Jenkins set and won the first leg 2-1 on three sticks after it was tied 4-4. The second leg was identical except Ward won the three sticks 2-1. Final and deciding leg Jenkins set with three which proved no problem for Ward as he whipped off the four needed to see him through.
Ward had to throw well to beat Brian Reidy (George ‘A’) in the next round. Chasing two scores of 3 & 4 Ward beat them both with replies of 4 & 5.
Final game was against Liam Purcell (The George ‘A’) and with the game poised at 1-1 the last leg had to be decided on the second lot of six sticks. With Purcell setting each time all throws was tied, six sticks 3-3, three sticks 2-2 and one stick 0-0. So back to six sticks and Purcell could only muster up a score of one which Ward went past with ease.
Final games saw Townsend beat Andy Lewis (Ampleforth Arms) 2-1 but it could have easily been a loss of 2-1. Lewis set and won the first leg 5-2 but Townsend hit straight back in the next leg 5-4. Final leg and Townsend could only set two, but Lewis struggled and could only match it. Townsend winning the leg on three sticks with a set of three.
Only Steve McAteer (Black Prince) stood in Townsend’s way now and with the game finely balanced at 1-1 the final leg was a corker. Six sticks was tied 4-4 , they both hit a maximum three in the three sticks and finally in the one stick shoot out Townsend hit his with McAteer missing by millimetres.

TED HOUGHTON SINGLES (Section 4 & below)
There will be a new name on the Ted Houghton Cup when Tom Finney (The Blackbird) and Jack Lane (Northway Club ‘C’) fought their way through to the final. Played at one venue, in the first round Tom Finney just got through against Danny Rawlings (White Horse) in a close battle. With the game nicely poised at 1-1 Finney could only hit one in the final leg, however Rawlings struggled and could also only hit one. Finney then set and won the three stick shoot out 2-1. In the next game Finney beat Chris Jilbert (Masons Arms ‘B’ ) 2-1 (1-X, 1-2, 3-2). In the semi-final he was drawn against dad, Yorkie Finney and a classic battle it was. Yorkie won the first leg on one stick after six sticks was tied 2-2, and three sticks 1-1. Tom levelled in the next leg 4-0. Final leg had to be decided on the one stick shoot out after six sticks was tied 4-4, three sticks 1-1 and this time son Tom hit the all-important doll in the one stick throw.
Jack Lane beat 2014 Winner Steve Buckle from The Blackbird in the first round 2-1, and then defeated John Lucin (East Oxford Con Club) who had hit a six in the previous round. First leg Lane won on one stick with Lucin drawing level in the next leg 4-2. Lucin then set two in the third leg which did not trouble Lane as he clanged off the three dolls needed.
In the semi-Final Lane was up against Joe Bandrowski (Masons Arms ‘A’) but two sets of one by Bandrowski wasn’t going to stop Lane getting to his first final as he strolled past those scores to book himself a place in the final.

SIXES
J.Lucin (East Oxford Con Club) P.Austin, R.Goodall (Black Prince)
I.Bowler (Littlemore B.L. ‘A’) K.Giles (Gladiators ‘A’

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