GLADIATORS A beat Premier Section leaders Black Prince to display their title ambitions.

The table-top battle saw the second-placed visitors record a 2-1 victory to close the gap to three points.

Gladiators set a formidable 29 in the opening leg which was too much for Prince, who fell five short with 24.

The table-toppers hit back, however, setting 28 in the next leg.

Despite a good start in reply, the away side faltered and ended up with 25.

Prince set 25 in the deciding third leg, but Gladiators cruised to 29 to pick up the victory.

Andy Beal (2-6-5) and Barry Townsend (5-4-4) top-scored for Gladiators with 13, while Steve McAteer (5-4-4) and Rob Bradford (3-5-5) did likewise for Prince.

After losing their opening three games of the season, George A have turned it around and recorded their third win on the bounce, beating Swan A 2-1.

Chasing an opening set of 26 proved no problem for George, who hit 29 in return.

They then banged in another 29 in the next leg to seal victory, with Swan ending on 24.

They were, however, denied a whitewash when the visitors took the last leg 32-23 after an impressive set.

Jon Townsend (5-3-6) and Lee Thompson (5-4-5) were in top form for Swan with 14 dolls apiece.

Paul Townsend (5-4-6) was the week’s leading scorer after clanging off 15 dolls for Three Pigeons at Chequers C.

However, it was not enough to save his side from a 2-1 defeat.

Woodman had anchor man Mark Rollins to thank as they overcame Garsington Sports A 2-1 in a very close contest.

Woodman won the first leg 25-20 and then were set 29 in the next.

Rollins needed all six to tie the leg and was up to the challenge, whipping off a full house to take the leg to a shoot-out – only for Garsington to hold their nerve and take the game to a decider.

But Rollins ensured he really was the hero this time, hitting the three dolls needed to give Woodman the leg – and the match.

Swan B top Section 1 after coming from behind to beat Six Bells E 2-1 at home with leg scores of

21-30, 23-21, 24-23.

In Section 2, Bullnose Morris A’s unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at Six Bells E Kidlington, despite Steve Ward

(5-5-4) showing dazzling form with 14 dolls for Bells.

Six Bells B Kidlington stopped a run of three consecutive losses in Section 3 by beating Littlemore British Legion A 3-0.

They sneaked the first leg by the tightest of margins 15-14 and then went to take maximum points in the next two legs 20-18, 18-13.

Six Bells A Kidlington’s unbeaten run in Section 4 ended at Donnington Club B when they lost all three legs 16-12, 20-16, 18-12.

After losing their opening game of the season Swan C made it

five matches unbeaten by defeating Vikings Sports C 3-0 at home with leg scores of 18-15, 16-15,

17-11.

RESULTS

Premier & Section 1: Black Prince 1, Gladiators A 2; Chequers C 2, Three Pigeons 1; The George A 2, The Swan A 1; The Woodman 2, Garsington Sports A 1; The Swan B 2, Six Bells E 1.

Section 2: Six Bells D 2, Bullnose Morris A 1; Gladiators B 3, Tiddington Cricket Club 0; Garsington Sports B 2, Donnington Club A 1; Queens Head B 2, Black Horse B 1; Florence Park Club A 2, Red Lion A 1.

Section 3: Six Bells B 3, Littlemore BL A 0; Masons Arms A 2, Rose Hill Club 1; Red Lion A 2, Ampleforth Arms A 1; Donnington Club C 2, Vikings Sports A 1.

Section 4: Vikings Sports B 3, Cricketers Arms 0; Bullnose Morris B 2, Red Lion B 1; Ampleforth Arms B 2, New Club 1; Green Road Club 1, The George B 2; Donnington Club B 3, Six Bells A 0.

Section 5: Red Lion B 3, Democrats Club A 0; Northway Club C 3, Florence Park Club B 0; White Hart A 0, Masons Arms B 3; The Swan C 3, Vikings Sports C 0; The Blackbird 3, The Cricketers Arms 0.

Section 6: Vikings Sports D 2, Cowley Workers Club 1; Littlemore BL B 3, North Oxford Con Club 0; Marston BL B 2, Seacourt Bridge 1; Prince of Wales 2, Kidlington FC 1.

Section 7: Golden Ball 0, Chequers B 3; Black Horse A 2, Red Lion 1; Bletchingdon Sports 3, Northway Club B 0: Gladiators D 1, Marston British Legion 2.

Section 8: Catherine Wheel A 3, Gladiators C 0; Original Swan 0, Donnington Club D 3: Democrats B 1, White Hart B 2; Headington Con Club 3, White Hart 0.

Top doll scorers: 15 – P Townsend (Three Pigeons). 14 – L Thompson, J Townsend (Swan A) L Purcell (George A). 13 – A Beal, B Townsend (Gladiators A), G Glenister, M Rollins (Woodman), S McAteer, R Bradford (Black Prince), J Bandrowski (Masons B).

Sixers: A Beal (Gladiators A), M Rollins (Woodman), P Townsend (Three Pigeons), R Townsend (Six Bells E), L Purcell (George A), L Thompson, J Townsend (Swan A), N Chapman (Florence Park Club A).

Blobbers: D Nelms (Cricketers Arms), R Trafford (North Oxford Con Club), M Smith (Bletchingdon Sports Club), A Varney (Northway Club B), R Plowman (White Hart A), F Delaney, C Gibbs (Democrats Club B), P Kirton (Original Swan).