Week 2 May 6th

A bitterly cold night failed to slow down Mark Bayliss as the Littlemore British Legion ‘A’ star clanged off 16 dolls (6-5-5) during a convincing 3-0 victory at The Ampleforth Arms. The Legion controlled all three legs, winning 22-17, 27-23 and 24-14 in comfortable fashion.

The eagerly anticipated clash between Premier Division title favourites proved surprisingly one-sided as White House whitewashed The New Club ‘A’ 3-0. White House took the opener 23-19 before cruising through the remaining legs 27-22 and 27-18. Ian McAteer top scored with a baker’s dozen (5-4-4).

Section One favourites Black Horse ‘A’ suffered a shock 3-0 defeat against their own B team. Chasing just 14 in the opening leg, the A team fell agonisingly short at 13 before slipping to further defeats 23-15 and 19-17. Alan Surman led the way for the B team with 11 dolls (3-5-3).

The Blackbird impressed in a dominant 3-0 home win over North Leigh FC. After taking the first two legs 25-21 and 20-18, Blackbird finished emphatically with a formidable 27-13 success. Tom Finney starred with 12 dolls (4-4-4).

Jolly Sportsman came away from The Masons Arms ‘A’ with a hard-fought 2-1 victory. Sportsman won the opener 24-17. Masons then set the second leg but could only whip off the doll 17 times. What should have been a routine chase for the Sportsmen and despite Marcus Reading claiming his first six of the season, and eleven on the board at the halfway stage they collapsed and finished up one doll short with 16. With the game nicely poised at one all Masons set the final and deciding leg with 18 and in reply The Sportsman made no mistake leaving anchor-man Mark Revill needing just one doll to win, which he went two better hitting 3 dolls to give them the leg and game.

SECTION 2
It was a very long night between Donnington Club B and WADs bar as the opening two legs both went to three sticks. Donnington set the opening leg with 16 which WADs bar matched, a set of 9 in the three sticks by Donnington was enough to win the leg. Second leg WADs bar set 13 and this time Donnington matched it. A set of 10 by WADs bar in the three sticks secured the leg. Final and deciding leg WADs bar set and won 17-12 to complete the turnaround.

Donnington Club A raced into a 2-0 lead against Queens Head A with wins of 18-16 and 14-12, but standards dipped in the final leg as Queens Head claimed a valuable point with a 15-9 success.

Adam Baker with a dozen dolls (3-4-5) led the way for Donnington Club C as they came away from Six Bells C with all three points. They sneaked the first leg by the odd doll 17-16 then
comfortably won the next two legs 20-13, 18-11 to claim maximum points.
New Club B maintained their perfect start with a 3-0 victory over local rivals Garsington Sports. The first two legs were won comfortably 18-11 and 15-8 before a tense final leg ended 16-15.

The battle between the two Catherine Wheel sides went the way of the A team, who defeated their B team 2-1.

SECTION 3
Red Lion Yarnton and Littlemore Rugby Club both hit the same number of dolls, however it was the rugby men who came out on top. With the game finely poised at one leg each 7-10, 12-8, Red Lion set 12 in the final leg. Good steady throwing by the rugby men saw them needing only one doll from their last two players. However a blob left anchor-man Malcolm Bough needing the one doll to clinch victory, which he hit with a stick to spare to sneak the leg with 13.

Graham Morton hit a baker’s dozen (4-5-4) and top scored for Cowley Workers in their 2-1 home win against Ampleforth Arms ‘B’. Good team throwing saw them easily take the first two legs 18-9, 17-12. Workers then set 15 in the final leg, and in return Ampleforth regrouped and hit an impressive 21 to salvage a point.

Littlemore British Legion B had to come from behind to defeat visitors Masons Arms B after they lost the first leg 15-12. Legion went to town in the second leg clanging off an impressive 25 dolls thanks in part to a maximum six from Dean Jacobs, Masons replying with 13 dolls. A set of 10 by The Masons in the final leg was never going to trouble the Legion as they raced past that with 21 to clinch the game 2-1.

Queens Head B claimed their first win of the season when they whitewashed visitors Six Bells B 3-0. They had to rely on a three stick shoot out in the opening leg after it was tied 14-14 before winning the next two legs 17-15, 18-15. Josh Breakspear was top dog for The Queen’s with 13 dolls (4-5-4).

At this early stage in the season Catherine Wheel ‘C’ are the only unbeaten team in the section after their 2-1 win at Headington Con club in a close contest where only two dolls separated the teams overall. The Wheel took an early lead winning both legs 14-13, 14-11 but could only set 11 in the third leg. In reply Headington struggled all the way and after five players had thrown they only had three on the board. The tail wagged leaving anchor man Brayden Shields needing four to win and he was up to the task and went one better by clanging off 5 dolls to give them a point with a total of 13. Paul Sheppard top scored for The Con club with 10 dolls (4-3-3).

SECTION 4
The two Rose Hill sides battled out a tense and closely contested match, with just a single doll separating them overall. Rose Hill A took the opening two legs 13-11 and 12-5 to secure the victory, but Rose Hill B responded impressively in the final leg. Chasing a target of seven, they more than doubled it with a superb 15 to earn a deserved point.

Consistent throwing proved the difference for Bletchingdon Sports as they secured maximum points at home against Vikings Sports C. Bletchingdon set and won all three legs, recording victories of 13-11, 13-8 and 12-10.

There was little to separate Red Lion Cassington and Kidlington Sports Club in another closely fought encounter. Kidlington set and won the opening leg 12-10 before posting a strong total of 15 in the second. Red Lion responded superbly, edging through 16-15 to level the match. The deciding leg finished tied at 15-15, but Red Lion held their nerve in the three sticks to clinch both the leg and the match. Daryl Connelly threw well for Kidlington with a dozen dolls (3-4-5), while Dave Behan top-scored for Red Lion with 11 (4-4-3).

The White Hart returned from The Corner House with all three points after winning the legs 13-6, 8-6 and 7-3. Mark Goodwin starred for White Hart with a steady nine-doll haul (3-3-3).

Neil Clarkson led the way for The Tandem with an impressive 11 dolls (5-3-3) as they completed a 3-0 victory at The Gardener Arms. Tandem dominated the opening leg 18-10 and then set 12 in the second. Gardener Arms looked set to respond, leaving their anchor man needing just two to win, but he blobbed out to hand Tandem the leg and an unassailable lead. Tandem completed the clean sweep by taking the final leg 11-8.

HIGHEST LEG SCORE: 27 Littlemore British Legion, White House
OVER THREE LEGS: 77 White House

SIXERS
M.Bayliss (Littlemore B.L.’A’) D.Jacobs (Littlemore B.L. ‘B’) M.Reading (Jolly Sportsman)

BLOBBERS
T.Weedon (Six Bells ‘C’) D.Fowles (Garsington Sports) G.Thomas (Littlemore Rugby Club) B.Ming, D.Rees (White Hart)

TOP DOLLS
16: M.Bayliss (Littlemore B.L.’A’)
13: I.McAteer (White House) G.Morton (Cowley Workers) D.Jacobs(Littlemore B.L. ‘B’) J.Breakspear (Queens Head ‘B’)

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