Week 17 Report

REPORT 17
The Swan ‘A’ successfully retained the Premier title when they beat The Black Prince 2-1. Needing just one point on the night they secured that in the opening leg 26-21. Swan then sneaked the second leg 21-20 before Black Prince finally found form winning the final leg 28-22.
Gladiators ‘A’ will have to settle for second place again despite beating The Swan ‘B’ 3-0. Chasing all three legs The Glad’s won the first two legs 25-21, 29-24 and were then set an impressive score of 30 in the final leg. In reply Glad’s stormed past that with 35 to claim maximum points. Top doll scorer Kevin Giles was in top form with sixteen dolls (6-5-5) while Mark Revill was top dog for The Swan with fourteen dolls (4-4-6).
Section One is still up for grabs after leaders New Club lost at home to The Woodman 2-1 in a tight contest. The opening leg Woodman won on three sticks after it was tied 25-25. Woodmen then went two up in the next leg 25-23. New Club grabbed a crucial point in the final leg 25-24. They now need one point in their final game which is against close rivals Garsington Sports who had a 3-0 win over The Chequers ‘A’. It was fairly comfortable for Garsington running out winners in all three legs 23-19, 22-14, 24-16.

Donnington Club ‘C’ were crowned champions of Section 2 when they came from behind to beat their A team 2-1. The A team set and won the first leg 23-11. The C team levelled in the next leg 24-17. A team set 19 in the final leg and in reply knowing that they needed this leg to claim the title after a bit of a wobble they went passed it by the smallest of margins with 20.
Second place Gladiators ‘C’ knew they needed all three points away at The Ampleforth Arms ‘A’ to keep their title hopes alive, but crashed at the first hurdle, losing the opening leg 21-13. They did rally in the next two legs winning them both 23-20, 17-14.
Gary Coulthard (4-6-3) and Willy Waite (6-4-3) both hit a baker’s dozen for The Bullnose Morris ‘A’ away at Red Lion ‘A’ Marston, but it was to no avail as they lost 2-1 in the leg scores of 14-22, 20-17, 22-21.

Six Bells ‘B Kidlington will finish propping up the Section 3 table after their third successive defeat this time at home to The George ‘B’. It started off well for the Bells winning the first leg 22-12 but that was to be their only success as George hit back to take the next two legs 16-12, 12-12 (on three sticks).
Top doll scorer Dave Bowler bagged himself his second six of the season in his eleven doll haul (6-2-3) for Littlemore British Legion ‘A’ as they beat Six Bells ‘A’ Kidlington 2-1, whos poor form of late have cost them a chance of the title, this being their third loss on the bounce. Both teams hit the same number of dolls with Legion winning 20-17, 14-19, 18-16.

Catherine Wheel ‘B’ still need one more point to be crowned Section 4 winners after they collapsed to a surprise defeat at home to Northway Club ‘C’. They could only muster up a set of ten in the opening leg and Northway took full advantage to hit twelve in reply and go one up. Catherine Wheel regrouped in the next leg and levelled 25-9. Final and deciding leg was tied 15-15 with Northway winning the leg and game on three sticks. Young Josh Tooke bagged himself a six for the Wheel.
Red Lion ‘B’ Yarnton failed to take full advantage when they dropped a necessary point at home to bottom place Swan ‘C. That came in the first leg when chasing a set of sixteen Lion could only hit eleven in reply. However two sets of sixteen by The Lion saw them win the next two legs 16-10, 16-10.
Joe Dunne hit a rare six for Cowley Workers but it did not prevent visitors Green Road Club ‘A’ coming away with the spoils 2-1. Leg scores being 14-17, 15-17, 17-12. Green Road Club have been on a good run, this being their seventh win on the trot, but it has come too late.

Three teams are still in with a shout of being crowned Section 5 champions and Cricketers Arms Cowley lead the way by two points, and it could have been worse as two legs were decided by the odd doll. Cricketers won the opener by the skin of their teeth 17-16 and lost the next 16-12. They then set and won the final leg by the smallest of margins 15-14.
Masons Arms ‘B’ have moved into contention with a 3-0 win at Donnington Club ‘B’. They won all three legs 13-11, 16-11, 17-13.
Vikings Sports ‘C’ move level second with a 2-1 home win against Ampleforth Arms ‘B’ . They won the first two legs 13-12, 14-6 but fell just one short in the final leg for a maximum win 13-14.
The Tandem are having a late surge but still remain at the foot of the table despite having a fine home win against Littlemore British Legion ‘B’ 2-1. With the game nicely poised at 1-1 Tandem hit a high score of 22 which was more than enough to give them the leg as Legion could only reply with nine.

Chequers ‘B’ are Section 6 champions after they beat basement boys Golden Ball 3-0 who are still looking for their first win of the season. Matty Jacob hit a six in his eleven dolls (6-3-2) for The Chequers as they won all three legs 24-7, 2218, 15-12.
Five teams are still competing for the runners up spot and only one point separates them all. Lee McAllister for The Prince Of Wales are helping them push all the way when he hit a baker’s dozen (4-5-4). However it came to no good as they lost at White Horse 2-1 in the leg scores of 21-12, 8-13, 17-14.

Red Lion Cassington and Marston British Legion played out an entertaining high scoring game in Section 7. Legion won the first two legs 17-15, 19-13 with Red Lion winning the last leg 12-8 for a well-deserved point.
Felix Roper threw well for his eleven dolls (3-4-4) for The White Hart Wolvercote in their 2-1 loss at Northway Club.

ALL TEAMS AND PLAYERS THAT STILL HAVE TROPHIES PLEASE RETURN THEM ASAP FOR ENGRAVING

SIXERS : K.Giles, C.Jenkins (Gladiators ‘A’) M.Revill (Swan ‘B’) G.Coulthard, W.Waite (Bullnose Morris ‘A’) D.Bowler (Littlemore B.L. ‘A’)
J.Dunne (Cowley Workers) C.Webb (Gladiators ‘B’) J.Tooke (Catherine Wheel ‘B’)

BLOBBERS: J.Perks (Vikings Sports ‘D’) J.Califano (Littlemore B.L. ‘B’) S.Trotter (Donnington Club ‘B’) M.Sinnott (Northway Club ‘B’)
H.Morgan, D.Rees (White Hart Wolvercote) P.Smith (Kidlington F.C ‘B’) K.Bratton, J.Hardiman (East Oxford Con Club)


TOP DOLL SCORERS:
16: K.Giles (Gladiators ‘A’)
14: M.Revill (Swan ‘B’) S.Walton (Donnington Club 'A')
13: C.Jenkins (Gladiators ‘A’) M.Poulter (Red Lion ‘A’ Yarnton) R.Grant (The Woodman) G.Coulthard, W.Waite (Bullnose Morris ‘A’) L.McAlister (Prince Of Wales) S.Thompson (Gladiators 'C')

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