CARTERTON now only trail Division 1 leaders Headington on shot difference after a convincing win at South Oxford A in the Bridle Insurance Oxfordshire League.

While Headington’s match against Banbury Central fell victim to the weather, Carterton triumphed 5-1, with Gordon Walker’s rink leading the way.

Shiplake, with a strong side, defeated Witney Mills 5-1, winning comfortably on three rinks, while Andrew Auger’s men gained a consolation for the losers.

Division 2 leaders Watlington suffered their first loss of the season, at the hands of Banbury Chestnuts.

Young brothers Lee and Jamie Wilkinson both skipped winning rinks and, in the process, scored more than enough shots to see Chestnuts home 4-2 With two rinks won by each team, a remarkable 27-shot winning margin for Chris Skidmore’s rink was the basis of Adderbury’s 4-2 defeat of Charlbury.

In Division 3, Headington lost 5-1 at Banbury Central, despite an excellent victory for captain Martin Kershaw’s rink.

Central’s victory was due to handling the poor weather better than their opponents, especially on Mal Leather’s rink which came back from 11-2 down after four end to win 25-16.

Thame stage what may prove to be the start of their comeback with a 5-1 victory at recent high-flyers Chipping Norton.

In a match curtailed to 15 ends, Paul Heafey’s men proved the difference, despite Keith Field’s effort for the home side.

The only match to survive the weather in Division 4 was that at Blackbird Leys.

The home side’s defeat 5-1 of South Oxford was sufficient to send them to the top of the division.

Both Gordon Roper and Roy Brain’s rinks restricted the opposition to single figures in this reduced 15-end match.

OXFORDSHIRE LEAGUE RESULTS

Division 1

South Oxford A 63 (1pt), Carterton 101(5) (S Oxford skips first): R Claridge 26, T Jupp 21; D Tidball 11, T Warner 24; M Keen 14, S Timms 25; G Watts 12, G Walker 31.

Shiplake 80 (5), Witney Mills 66 (1) (Shiplake skips first): G Kennedy 20, R Barnett 17; J Bland 18, C Weller 14; B Evans 16, A Auger 23; B Lambourne 26, A Dunsby 12.

Division 2

Charlbury 69 (2), Adderbury 93 (4) (Charlbury skips first): J Stevens 16, T Ely 27; M Smith 18, T Clarke 14; D Dix 22, P Gladden 12; D Cooper 13, C Skidmore 40.

Witney Town 96 (5), Bicester 54 (1) (Witney skips first): P Demczak 19, A Hall 21; T Ludlow 24, R Herbert 9; B Bloomfield 25, K Taylor 14; W Parker 28, E Sheffield 10.

Banbury Chestnuts 72 (4), Watlington 69 (2) (Banbury skips first): C Taylor 9, S Watts 23; J Wilkinson 25, R Gilkes 7; L Wilkinson 25, S Cooper 16; K Buckle 13, R Gilkes 23.

Division 3

Banbury Central B 62 (5), Headington B 55 (1) (Banbury skips first): R Cox 4, M Kershaw 17; M Leather 25, R Edwards 17; T McKenna 17, S Gould 12; J Pickering 16, M Kirby 9.

Chipping Norton 52 (1), Thame 59 (5) (Chipping Norton skips first): K Field 19, G Penn 12; J Martin 10, J Timms 12; D Leighfield 11, P Heafey 20; T Sealey 12, R Plested 15.

Division 4

Blackbird Leys 70 (5), South Oxford B 45 (1) (Blackbird Leys skips first): A Fleming 10, J Guest 16; J Baldwin 16, P Woodville 13; G Roper 20, K Clarke 9; R Brain 24, P Power 7.