Martin Herbert almost joined the maximum men as he clanged off 17 dolls in Red Lion A Eynsham’s 3-0 home win over Greene King Oxford & District League Premier Section leaders Three Pigeons, writes ANDY BEAL.

Herbert struck with his first 15 dolls before missing with his 16th, but then despatched the last two to fall one short of a full house in a 34-29, 28-26, 27-25 scoreline.

Kevin Giles and Dave Townsend hit 13 dolls for Three Pigeons.

A second 16-doll haul of the season saw Roger Goodall (6-5-5) move top of the doll scorers’ table as he helped Six Bells C Kidlington to a 2-1 win at home to Cricketers B.

Dick Walsh, (5-5-4) with 14 dolls, and Andy Beal, (5-3-5) with 13, also threw well for Six Bells.

Den Sellar (5-6-5) hit 16 for the Cricketers, while Barry Town-send (3-6-4) weighed in with 13.

Black Swan moved top of Section 1A with a 2-1 win at home to Red Lion A Kidlington.

Anchor man Paul Sawyer (6-4-4) whipped off the six needed to give Red Lion the first leg 26-25 on the way to a 14-doll haul.

But Black Swan took the next two legs 22-21 and 21-17, with John Horton posting 14 dolls.

It was high fives for Ken Maunder (5-5-5) as he delivered 15 dolls to help Garsington Sports A to a 2-1 win at Gladiators A.

Martin Cook (5-4-5) starred for Gladiators with 14, but it could not save them.

In Section 2, Tony Barrett (5-4-6) hit 15 dolls to lead Six Bells Quarry to a 3-0 home win over Black Prince.

Six Bells finished with a flourish to triumph 22-21, 21-18, 30-18.

Mark Poulter (6-4-3) reeled off 13 dolls, but it could not prevent Red Lion Yarnton losing 3-0 to leaders Red Lion B Eynsham.

Darren Cox (4-6-5) clanged off 15 dolls in Team Monarch’s 2-1 win at Masons A in Section 3.

Terry Lester (4-5-5) hit 14 dolls for Kidlington Green Social Club, but it was in vain as they lost 2-1 to leaders Bullnose Morris A.

TEAMS should note the Red Lion Brill has reopened and will stage home matches.

Meanwhile, Chandos Arms has closed and their home matches will be played at The Pheasant, Brill.

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier Section 1 & 1A: Six Bells C Kidlington 2, Cricketers B 1; Red Lion A Eynsham 3, Three Pigeons 0; Gladiators A 1, Garsington Sports A 2; Black Swan 2, Red Lion B Kidlington 1.

Section 2: Vikings Sports B 1, Griffin 2; Six Bells 3, Black Prince 0; Red Lion B Yarnton 0, Red Lion B Eynsham 3; Chequers A 2, Woodman 1; Cowley Workers 2, Ampleforth Arms 1.

Section 3: Three Horseshoes 3, Vikings Sports A 0; Rose Hill Club B 2, Original Swan A 1; Masons A 1, Team Monarch 2; Kidlington Green SC 1, Bullnose Morris A 2; Chequers C 2, Cowley Con Club 1.

Section 4: Seacourt Bridge 2, Kidlington Sports B 1; Kennington Club A 3, Fairview A 0; Garsington Sports B 3, West Oxford Democrats 0; Donnington Club A 1, Six Bells A 2.

Section 5: North Oxford Con Club A 3, Marston BL 0; New Club B 1, Chandos Arms B 2; Folly Bridge 2, Vikings Sports C 1; Donnington Club C 1, Queens Head B 2; Crown A 3, Chequers B 0.

Section 6: Red Lion A Kidlington 1, Masons B 2; Quarry Gate 3, Gladiators B 0; Florence Park Club A 2, Red Lion Wendelbury 1; Chandos Arms A 1, Red Lion A Wolvercote 2; Queens Head A 2; King & Queen B 1.

Section 7: Six Bells D 0, Red Lion C Eynsham 3; Red Lion Islip 2, Golden Ball B 1; Northway A 0, Nut Tree 3; Kidlington Sports A 0, Red Lion A Yarnton 3; Cricketers A 3, Donnington Arms 0.

Section 8: Crooked Pot 0, Rose Hill Club A 3; Red Lion B 3, Kings Arms 0; Original Swan B 0, Brill Sports Club A 3; Golden Ball A 3, Six Bells B 0.

Section 9: Kite A 2, Northway B 1; Jolly Sportsman 3, Donnington Club B 0; Jolly Postboys 3, Crown B 0; Crown Chalgrove 3, Chequers D 0; Brill Sports Club B 3, White Hart 0.

Section 10: Bullnose Morris B 3, Kennington Club B 0; Prince of Wales Horspath Rd 0, Littlemore BL 3; Original Swan D 1, North Oxford Con Club B 2; Cricketers 0, Priory 3.

Section 11: Kings Arms 1, Red Lion Old Marston 2; Holly Bush 2, Red Lion A Cassington 1; Florence Park B 3, George & Dragon 0.

Sixers: M Herbert (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, R Goodall (Six Bells C Kidlington), P Sawyer (Red Lion A Kidlington), B Townsend, D Sellar (Cricketers B), J Curran, J Horton (Black Swan), T Barrett, R Bennett (Six Bells Quarry), M Poulter (Red Lion Yarnton), D Cox (Team Monarch), D Fitzgerald (Kennington Club A).

Blobbers: L Rumsey (Black Prince), T McCaigue (Fairview A), D Lancaster, A Pill (Marston British Legion), A Holden (Masons B), D Ridgeway (Six Bells D Kidlington), C Bateman (Red Lion B Cassington), D Davies (Kings Arms Wheatley), B McAllister (Prince of Wales Horspath Rd), J Rotherford (Cricketers Little-worth), P Collier (Bullnose Morris B), S Flynn (Kennington Club B), C Long (George & Dragon), F Delaney (Hollybush), D Hussey (King & Queen B).

The week's top scorers: M Herbert (Red Lion A Eynsham) 17, D Sellar (Cricketers B) 16, R Goodall (Six Bells C Kidlington)16, D Cox (Team Monarch) 15, K Maunder (Garsington Sports A) 15, T Barrett (Six Bells Quarry) 15, D Walsh (Six Bells C Kidlington) 14, J Horton (Black Swan) 14, M Cook (Gladiators A) 14, P Sawyer (Red Lion A Kidlington) 14, T Lester (Kidlington Green SC) 14.

ABINGDON & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & A Section: Steventon Sports 3, Spread Eagle 3; Abingdon United 2, Abingdon Legion 4; Fox 6, Red Lion 0; Tandem 5, Wootton Legion 1.

B Section: North Star 5, Abingdon United 1; Barley Mow 3, College Oak 3; Berinsfield SC 0, Admiral Benbow 6; Red Lion 2, Plough 4; Hart of Harwell 4, Fox 2.

C Section: College Oak 0, Vine 6; Black Horse 2, Waggon & Horses 4; Plough 4, Abingdon Con Club 2; White Horse 2, Abingdon Utd 4; Vine 6, Steventon Sports 0.

D Section: Brewery Tap 0, Pack Horse 6; Chequers Charney 4, Standford FC 2; Fleur De Lys 4, Eight Bells 2; Wootton Legion 2, North Star 4.

E Section: Harwell Legion 2, Spread Eagle 4; Eight Bells 6, Wheatsheaf 0; Plough Sutton 2, Hatchet 4; Midget 2, Black Horse 4.

F Section: Bear North Morton 5, Didcot Con Club 1; Abingdon Arms 2, North Star 4; Plough 2, Bowyers Arms 4; North Star 5, Hart of Harwell 1.

G Section: Morning Star 5, Plough Hanney 1; Horse & Harrow 5, Royal Oak 1; Old Anchor 6, Crown 0; Spread Eagle 4, Brewery Tap 2; Goodlake Arms 0, Queens Arms 6.

H Section: Drayton Park Vets 6, Plough 0; Challow Legion 3, Midget 3; Bear & Ragged Staff 4, Cross Keys 2; Abingdon Legion 4, GWRS A 2; Spread Eagle 6, Cross Keys Wallingford 0.

J Section: Kings Arms 0, Hinds Head 6; Peachcroft 2, Steventon Spts 4; Volunteer Grove 4, Rose & Crown 2; Wheatsheaf 6, Waggon & Horses 0.

Sixes: J Simmons, J Bowler, P Gresty, N Biggs.