TWO-TIME finalist Steve Walton is among eight players who could win the Oxford Singles Trophy for the first time.

Kevin Stuart, John Baily (George A), Walton (Donnington Club A), Andy Lewis (Ampleforth Arms A), Terry Stuart (Swan A), Rob Bradford (Black Prince), Mark Rollins (The Woodman) and Willy Waite (Bullnose A) have all progressed to the play-offs on September 3.

Played at four different venues, there were shocks across the board.

At Garsington Sports Club, Walton, who will be aiming to make it third time lucky, had to rely on all his experience to advance.

He beat Swan A’s Keith Powell 5-4, 3-2 in the first round and was taken to a decider by Littlemore British Legion’s Ian Bowler, which he won 4-3.

Walton faced defending champion Jon Townsend, of the Swan, in the third round, and edged a memorable encounter 6-5, 4-5, 3-3 (three-stick shoot-out) to reach the last eight.

Despite a straight-forward opening 2-0 win against Tiddington Cricket Club’s Pip Goulding, Kevin Stuart also had his work cut out.

Facing five-times runner-up Kevin Baker, of Gladiators A, the Swan A player was forced to come from behind to triumph 2-1 in the second round, before needing a three-stick shoot-out to beat Littlemore British Legion’s Richard Berry by the same scoreline.

Waite had a battle on his hands to advance from the matches at Ampleforth Arms.

He got the better of Three Pigeons’ Paul Townsend 2-1 in the opener – taking the first leg on a three-stick shoot-out and only winning the decider 3-2.

A 2-0 victory against Garsington Sports’ Billy Trinder followed, before edging Steve Ward, of Six Bells D Kidlington.

After the first two legs were shared, Waite won the three-stick shoot-out after the decider had been tied 5-5.

Rollins struggled in his first match against George’s Brian Lester, but still advanced to the play-offs.

With the score at 1-1, the Woodman player could not better a set of one and needed a shoot-out to advance to the second round.

A comfortable 2-0 victory over George’s James Morrison followed, before Rollins beat Tiddington Cricket Club’s Pete Shepherd 2-1 – winning the decider 4-3 with his final stick.

Bailey did not drop a leg as he eased through at the Chequers, beating Woodman’s Neil Pratley and Six Bells D’s Jason Fox.

Black Prince player Bradford had a more difficult task.

He just got the better of Bullnose A’s Andy Gorge, winning 2-1 after the last leg was decided on three sticks.

Bradford was also pushed by Gladiators A’s Den Butler in two tight legs, before needing to win two shoot-outs to edge Swan A’s Lee Thompson 2-1.

At Masons Arms, Andy Lewis threw well to advance.

The Ampleforth Arms A man got the better of Three Pigeons’ Dave Lee 3-2, 3-4, 4-2, before edging Woodman’s Spencer Buckingham.

Nothing could separate the duo in the first leg, with the three-stick and one-stick shoot-outs tied, before Lewis won it 4-3.

He then took the second leg on three sticks to advance.

Terry Stuart, the 2015 finalist, got the better of nephew Ashley Stuart and three-times winner Neil Lyon, of Three Pigeons, 2-0.

He then beat Gladiators A’s Jason Weller 2-1, clinching the decider 4-2.

Meanwhile, Andy Beal was unlucky to be eliminated in the preliminary round.

Despite clanging off 14 dolls (4-6-4), he was beaten 2-1 by Ward.

Elsewhere, Masons Arms duo Joe Bandrowski and Liam Costar will face off in the Ted Houghton Singles final on October 12.

Both players advanced without dropping a leg.

RESULTS

OXFORD SINGLES TROPHY

Prelim round: S Ward (Six Bells D) 2, A Beal (Gladiators A) 1.

1st round: J Morrison (George A) 2, P Coates (Three Pigeons) 1; M Seacole (Three Pigeons) 2, C Jenkins (Gladiators A) 1; P Shepherd (Tiddington CC) 2, M Bough (Littlemore BL) 0; M Rollins (The Woodman) 2, B Lester (George A) 1; B Trinder (Garsington Spts A) 2, B Reidy (George A) 0; W Waite (Bullnose A) 2, P Townsend (Three Pigeons) 1; S Ward (Six Bells D) 2, M Berry (Swan A) 1; Li Purcell (George A) 2, S McAteer (Black Prince) 1; L Thompson (Swan A) 2, M Phipps (Black Prince) 1; S Ducker (Six Bells D) 2, C Hambridge (Bullnose A) 0; R Bradford (Black Prince) 2, A Gorge (Bullnose A) 1; D Butler (Gladiators A) 2, S Bayliss (George A) 1; J Fox (Six Bells D) 2, Lu Purcell (George A) 0; J McMahon (Bullnose A) 2, T Gillett (George A) 0; N Pratley (The Woodman) 2, A Keenan (The Woodman) 1; N Lyon (Three Pigeons) 2, D Cox (Garsington Sports A) 0; D Lee (Three Pigeons) 2, D Simms (Ampleforth Arms A) 0; P Rampton (Six Bells D) 2, S Bishop (Chequers A) 0; J Weller (Gladiators A) 2, I McAteer (Black Prince) 1; T Stuart (Swan A) 2, A Stuart (George A) 0; S Buckingham (The Woodman) 2, D Grant (Black Prince) 0; D Walsh (Swan A) 2, K Giles (Gladiators A) 1; I Bowler (Littlemore BL) 2, M Herbert (Swan A) 1; R Berry (Littlemore BL) 2, P Townsend (The Woodman) 0; R Grant (The Woodman) 2, B Townsend (Gladiators A) 1; K Baker (Gladiators A) 2, P Austin (Black Prince) 1; K Stuart (George A) 2, P Goulding (Tiddington CC) 0; J Townsend (Swan A) 2, C Buckingham (The Woodman) 0; S Walton (Donnington Club A) 2, K Powell (Swan A) 0.

2nd round: M Rollins (The Woodman) 2, J Morrison (George A) 0; W Waite (Bullnose A) 2, B Trinder (Garsington Spts A) 0; P Shepherd (Tiddington CC) 2, Li Purcell (George A) 0; S Ward (Six Bells D) 2, M Seacole (Three Pigeons) 0; L Thompson (Swan A) 2, S Ducker (Six Bells D) 0; R Bradford (Black Prince) 2, D Butler (Gladiators A) 0; J Fox (Six Bells D) 2, J McMahon (Bullnose A) 0; J Baily (George A) 2, N Pratley (The Woodman) 0; J Weller (Gladiators A) 2, D Walsh (Swan A) 1; S Buckingham (The Woodman) 2, P Rampton (Six Bells D) 0; T Stuart (Swan A) 2, N Lyon (Three Pigeons) 0; A Lewis (Ampleforth Arms A) 2, D Lee (Three Pigeons) 1; K Stuart (George A) 2, K Baker (Gladiators A) 1; J Townsend (Swan A) 2, R Grant (The Woodman) 0; R Berry (Littlemore BL) 2, T Newbold (The Woodman) 1; S Walton (Donnington Club A) 2, I Bowler (Littlemore BL) 1.

3rd round: M Rollins (The Woodman) 2, P Shepherd (Tiddington CC) 1; W Waite (Bullnose A) 2, S Ward (Six Bells D) 1; R Bradford (Black Prince) 2, L Thompson (Swan A) 1; J Baily (George A) 2, J Fox (Six Bells D) 0; A Lewis (Ampleforth Arms A) 2, S Buckingham (The Woodman) 0; T Stuart (Swan A) 2, J Weller (Gladiators A) 1; K Stuart (George A) 2, R Berry (Littlemore BL) 1; S Walton (Donnington Club A) 2, J Townsend (Swan A) 1.

Sixers: A Beal (Gladiators A), S Walton (Donnington Club A), Li Purcell (George A).

TED HOUGHTON SINGLES

1st round: G Rees (The Blackbird) 2, Y Finney (The Blackbird) 0; C Jilbert (Masons Arms B) 2, T Finney (The Blackbird) 1; M Murphy (The Blackbird) 2, G Millard (Vikings Sports D) 0; D Simms (The Blackbird) 2, D Rawlings (Marston BL) 1.

2nd round: M Murphy (The Blackbird) 2, C Jilbert (Masons Arms B) 1; L Costar (Masons Arms B) 2, G Rees (The Blackbird) 1; S Buckle (The Blackbird) 2, T Rees (The Blackbird) 0; J Bandrowski (Masons Arms B) 2, D Simms (The Blackbird) 1.

Semi-finals: J Bandrowski (Masons Arms B) 2, S Buckle (The Blackbird) 0; L Costar (Masons Arms B) 2, M Murphy (The Blackbird) 0.

WYCHWOOD LEAGUE

Cock Inn 2, Masons Arms A 8; Chadlington SSC 8, Queens Head A 2; Long Hanborough SSC 4, Oxford Yeoman B 6; Masons Arms B 4, Black Prince B 6; Black Prince A 10, Enstone SSC 0; Kings Head 8, Elm Tree 2; Oxford Yeoman 2, George & Dragon 8; Queens Head B 2, Stonesfield SSC 8; Cinnamon Stick 4, Red Lion 6; Killingworth Castle 2, Three Horseshoes 8.

Top doll scorer: 21 – C Buckingham (Masons Arms A).

BICESTER AND DISTRICT LEAGUE

(sponsored by Lodge Garage, Kingswood)

Premier & Div 1: Pheasant Inn 1, White Lion 2; Crown 3, Brill S&SC B 0; Black Bull A 2, Black Bull B 1; Muddy Duck 2, Highfield SC 1.

Div 2: Ashton Club 1, The Lion 2; Nut Tree 3, Bell Bicester 0; Brill S&SC A 0, Bull Inn A 3; Prince of Wales 0, Ex Services 3.

Div 3: Barley Mow 0, Shakespeare 3; Red Cow 3, Red Lion Islip 0; White Horse B 3, Chearsley Cricketers 0.

Div 4: Butchers Arms 2, White Horse A 1; White Hart 0, Chandos Arms 3; The Harrison 3, Red Lion Finmere 0.

Div 5: Bull Inn B 2, Plough A 1; Crown Twyford 2, Royal Oak 1.

Div 6: Eight Bells 2, Bull & Butcher A 1; Plough Casuals 2, Black Bull Divas 1.

Sixers: L Wanless (Highfield SC), S Payne (Black Bull A).