WEEK 1 23rd April

REPORT WEEK 1
On a bright and dry night (for a change) the 2025 Oxford & District Aunt Sally season began for the 87th year. Premier champions The White House fell to an inaugural 2-1 defeat at The Swan Eynsham. In the opening leg The Swan set 24 which proved to be enough as the White House could only hit 21 in reply to give the Swan an early lead. White House struck right back in the second leg setting and winning it 27-18. Final and deciding leg White House could only muster up a set of 23 which the Swan flew past that with a score of 30 to give them the leg and game. Swan’s Mark Hewitson top scored with a baker’s dozen (5-4-4) and was backed up by Martin Herbert who hit a maximum six.
Runners up The Gladiators who have now moved to Littlemore British Legion as the C team, due to the Glad’s closure just got the better of Littlemore Legion A 2-1. A set of 18 by the A team was never going to be enough as they passed that with ease hitting 26. C team set 23 in the second leg, which was beatable however the A team just came up short by one doll with 22. Final leg C team set 26 and in reply a good start by the A team saw them leaving anchor man Kevin Stuart needing just one to win, which he duly dispatched to give them a deserved point with 27. Martin Cook (5-3-4) and Scott Thompson (2-6-4) were top dogs for the C team with a dozen dolls.
The two newly promoted teams to Section 1 Masons Arms A and Ampleforth Arms A clashed and it was the Amp that came away victorious 2-1 despite an impressive 15 dolls (4-6-5) from the Masons Chris Webb. Masons set the first leg with 14 and it seemed to be enough to secure the leg when the Amp left their last two players eight to win. However, a five from Dave Simms and three from anchor man Dave Green saw them over the line. The Ampleforth set the second leg with 17 and in reply a slow start by the Masons meant that anchor man Webb needed four to win which proved to be no problem as he whipped off all six dolls to level the game. Final and deciding leg Ampleforth set and won 21-19. Dave Simms for the Amp top scored with 13 dolls (5-5-3) while team mate Stuart Bishop bagged himself a six.
Black Horse A got off to a good start at home to New Club ‘A’ winning the first two legs 26-18, 28-26, however they couldn’t quite claim a whitewash when New Club won the final leg 24-22. Steve Ward for The Black Horse was in fine form with 14 dolls (5-4-5) and was supported well by Pete Rampton (4-5-4) and John Brown (3-6-4) with a baker’s dozen apiece. Luke Purcell who has returned to the game after a six-year break clanged off a six in his 12-doll haul (3-3-6).
Yarnton British Legion came away from Garsington sports with a 2-1 win. They lost the opening leg 18-22 but came back well to win the next two legs 19-14, 23-19.

In Section 2 visitors WADS bar started off the season with a close 2-1 win at Rose Hill Club. They set and won the opening leg 22-15 with Ollie Ludlow hitting a six. They then set 13 in the next leg which was not enough as Rose Hill snatched the leg by the odd doll thanks to their anchor man Brian Lovatt clanging off the three dolls needed. Final and deciding leg Rose Hill set with 12 which was not quite enough as WADS bar hit 14 in reply to claim the final leg and with it the game. Mark (5-4-3) & Harry Tilling (3-4-5) both hit a dozen dolls for WADs bar.
The Duke of Monmouth just got the better of visitors Queens Head A in a close contest. They won the opening leg 20-17, lost the next 16-19 then won the deciding leg 21-17.
The Blackbird got off to a flying start at home to Donnington club B when they won the first leg by the odd doll 17-16. Donnington set the second leg with 19 and a slow response from The Blackbird left anchor man Tom Finney needing five to tie and he nearly pulled it off but fell one short with 4. Donnington then completed the turnaround setting and winning the final leg 21-14.
Newly promoted Six Bells C got off to the perfect start when they whitewashed Black Horse B 3-0 at home, however the scoreline did not reflect how close this game was. Bells set the first leg with 17 and in reply Black Horse left anchor man Stuart Wells needing five to tie and six to win, however it proved to be just too much as Wells hit four to leave them one short. Second leg Black Horse set with 18 which The Bells matched and then went on to win the three sticker. Final leg Horse set with 17 and in response Bells anchorman Nick Edmonds clanged off the three dolls needed to win the leg by the smallest of margins with 17.
It was a long night at Cowley Workers as two of the legs went to three sticks against visitors The Tandem. Workers could only set 11 in the opening leg with The Tandem hitting 14 in reply to take an early lead. The next two legs were tied 14-14 with Cowley Workers winning them both on three sticks to claim a 2-1 win. Brian Reidy top scored for The Tandem with 11 dolls (3-5-3) while Tony O’Brien bagged himself a six for the Workers.

In Section 3 Dean Jacobs hit his best score for over 11 years when he smashed off 14 dolls (4-5-5) for Littlemore British Legion B, however it was all in vain as they lost out at The Queens Head B 3-0. Chasing all three legs Queens passed the target each time, 15-13, 17-14, 18-13.
The Cricketers got their season off to a good start when they won the opening leg at New Club ‘B’ 13-12, however that was to be their only success as they crashed in the next two legs losing them both 14-9, 15-9 despite Doug Mingham hitting a dozen dolls (5-2-5) for the Cricketers.
Littlemore Rugby club came away from The Red Lion Yarnton with maximum points winning all three legs 9-7, 12-10, 14-13.
It was very close between hosts Vikings Sports B and Bletchington Sports with each leg being decided by the anchor man. Bletchingdon set and won the first leg 16-14 and was then set 12 in the second leg. In return Bletch left anchor man Walter Harwood needing 2 to win which he went one better hitting 3 to finish with a total of 16. Vikings set the final leg with 13 and this time Harwood was left with needing 3 to win and again he was up to the task hitting the dolls to sneak the leg by the odd doll with 14 to give them a 3-0 win.
Masons B got of to a flyer at Donnington Club A winning all three legs 17-13, 13-13 (on three sticks) 11-5.

In Section 4, Headington Con Club won the first two legs at home to Red Lion Cassington easily 15-6, 13-9, however were pushed all the way in the final leg winning it 15-13 to give them their first 3-0 since 2023.
Ampleforth Arms B were on top form when they won all three legs at home to The Catherine Wheel 17-10, 20-11, 18-15. Paul Shipperley was top dog with 9 dolls (3-3-3) while Graham Newbold hit the same for Catherine Wheel.
Kidlington Football club struggled in their first two legs at home to Six Bells B losing them both 7-13, 8-16, however they came back well in the final leg to win a point 16-12.
Golden Ball set 10 in the first leg at home to Vikings Sports C and in reply Vikings left anchorman Barry White needing four to win and he was up to the challenge whipping the four dolls off to give them an early lead. Golden Ball hit straight back and levelled in the next leg setting and winning the leg 18-9. A set of 13 in the final and deciding leg by The Golden Ball was not enough as Vikings hit 15 in reply to win the leg and game.

SIXERS
S. Bishop (Ampleforth Arms A) J.Brown (Black Horse A) T.O’Brien (Cowley Workers) C.Webb (Masons A)
S. Thompson (Littlemore B.L. ‘C’) L.Purcell (New Club ‘A’) M.Herbert (The Swan) O.Ludlow (WADS Bar)

BLOBBERS
C.Richardson (Ampleforth B) G. Howell (Catherine Wheel) M.Peedell (Kidlington FC)
O.Tilling (WADS Bar) J. Thompson (Red Lion) C.Bowers (Red Lion) T.Gladwell (The Blackbird)
J.Boyd (Vikings C) M.Colley, S. Dean (The Cricketers)

TOP DOLL SCORERS
15: C.Webb (Chequers)
14: D.Jacobs (Littlemore B.L. ‘B’) S.Ward, (Black Horse A)
13: J.Brown, P.Rampton (Black Horse ‘A’) M.Hewitson (The Swan) D.Simms (Ampleforth Arms A)


TOP LEG SCORE
The Swan 29 dolls

TOP SCORE OVER 3 LEGS
Littlemore British Legion C 75 dolls

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