HOLTON B made it three wins out of three to reach the quarter-finals of the Oxford & District League’s Aubrey Hughes Handicap Shield, by the narrowest of margins.

With their final group game against Bicester B ending 397-397, Holton B progressed by a third of a point on superior handicap.

Awarded a 109-point start, Holton B’s points advantage was cut to five when Brian Dobson beat Paul Reynolds.

However, Sharon Curtis defeated Stan Harding to restore Holton’s lead to 14 points for the doubles.

Vikings B won their group after beating Bicester D 419-391.

Despite a 116-point start, Bicester’s Andy Crofts, Graham Butcher and David Badham saw Eamonn Deeley, Simon Cox and Mike Aistrop chip away the lead before the doubles, making victory a formality. Forum F beat Gladiators A in the same group.

Starting Forum F started 61 points up and ended up with the lead knocked down to 34.

Bicester E made it three wins out of threewith the team of Cameron Innes, Wendy Chapple and Terry Goddard , beating two-man Vikings C by 135 points.

Forum A ended their campaign with a nine-point victory over Forum E, despite having a 171 points start to contend with.

Bicester A, Forum D, British Rail, Forum G, Forum I all won their groups and join Holton B, Vikings B and Bicester E in the last eight.

RESULTS

Bicester B 397, Holton B (+109) 397.3; Forum E 423 (+171), Forum A 432; Forum B 397, Vikings A (+65) 372; Bicester D (+116) 391, Vikings B 419; Forum D 440, Forum J (+250) 411; Gladiators A 375, Forum F (+61) 409; Begbroke A 436, St James (+207) 402; Vikings D 346, Forum I (+65) 430; Holton C (+108) 388, Forum C 301; Bicester E (+114) 436, Vikings C 301; British Rail 435, Begbroke A (+104) 356; Gladiators B 440, Begbroke B 0 (w/o).