KEVIN Giles was in extraordinary form with 16 dolls for Gladiators A – but it proved in vain as Woodman secured a remarkable victoryin the  Greene King Oxford & District League, writes ANDY BEAL.

Giles hit 5-5-6, but still ended up on the losing side as their Premier & Section 1 rivals claimed a narrow success, despite scoring 16 dolls fewer.

Gladiators won the opening leg at a canter 30-20 and were chasing 28 in the second to secure victory.

They fell two short, but then set their rivals 31 in the decider.

Woodman anchor man Mark Rollins needed five to win and, after missing with his first stick it looked unlikely.

But he steadied himself and whipped off the next five dolls to give Woodman a dramatic success.

It was a long night at Three Pigeons, as they saw off Garsington Sports Club A 3-0.

Pigeons won the first leg 30-28 and were set 28 in the second leg.

A four from anchor man Neil Lyon sent the match to a three-stick shoot-out, which they won.

Pigeons then set 23 in the final leg, which was again matched by Garsington.

But once again Pigeons won it on three sticks.

Darren Cox was in top form for Garsington with 15 dolls (5-5-5), while Paul Townsend (5-5-3) and Neil Lyon (5-4-4) hit 13 for Pigeons.

Rob Bradford’s 14 dolls (3-6-5) led Black Prince to a 3-0 home win against George A.

And Mark Hewitson was another to bag a six in his 13-doll haul (6-3-4) for Swan B in their 2-1 home win over Red Lion A.

Simon King hit a baker’s dozen for The Swan (4-5-4).

In Section 2, Roger Alder (Chequers C) hit his first six in his 11 dolls as they came from behind to beat hosts Six Bells A Quarry 2-1 Six Bells Kidlington E remain unbeaten after they beat Donnington Club A. They won all three legs 25-21, 25-20, 20-19.

Garsington Sports B still rule the roost in Section 3, but their 3-0 victory over Vikings B, who are propping up the table, was not a fair reflection of the match.

The first leg was tied 15-15, with Garsington winning on three sticks, before taking the next 23-14.

They completed a full house by sneaking the final leg 21-20.

Steve Reeves was top dog for Vikings with a steady 12 (4-4-4).

Brian Reidy clanged off a baker’s dozen (3-5-5) for Blackbird in their 2-1 home win over New Club B.

King & Queen scored eight more dolls then hosts Six Bells A Kidlington, but still lost 2-1.

Andy Clare was in magnificent form for Vikings Sports Club D, hitting a six in their win away to Chequers B in Section 5.

Clare’s 14-doll haul (3-6-5) helped secure 2-1 victory with leg scores 11-15, 16-15, 23-16.

Veteran Mick Beane rolled back the years for Seacourt Bridge A, clanging off a four in the opening leg as his side ran out 2-1 winners over the Fox & Goat.

Seacourt took the first leg on three sticks, but were pegged back in the second with their opponents triumphing 16-14.

Seacourt wrapped up victory in the final leg, taking it 18-16.

In Section 6, Florence Park Club started badly after only hitting ten in reply to visitors Black Horse B’s total of 16.

However they rallied in the next two legs hitting 20 and 25 to secure a well-deserved 2-1 win.

RESULTS

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & Section 1: Gladiators A 1, The Woodman 2; New Club A 1, The Swan A 2; Black Prince 3, The George A 0; The Swan B 2, Red Lion A 1; New Club A 1, The Swan A 2.

Section 2: Vikings Sports A 1, Bullnose Morris A 2; Six Bells E 3, Donnington Club A 0; Black Horse C 2, Gladiators B 1; Six Bells A Quarry 1, Chequers C 2; The Crown 3, Six Bells D 0.

Section 3: White House 2, Queens Head 1; Six Bells A 2, King & Queen 1; Garsington Sports B 3, Vikings Sports B 0; Tiddington Cricket Club 1, Chequers A 2; The Blackbird 2.

Section 4: The George B 1, Rose Hill Club 2; Masons Arms A 1, Donnington Club C 2; Littlemore British Legion A 2, Democrats Club A 1; Black Swan 2, Green Road Club B 1; The Swan C 0, Six Bells B 3.

Section 5: Seacourt Bridge A 2, Fox & Goat 1; Chequers B 1, Vikings Sports D 2; Bullnose Morris B 2, Littlemore BL B 1; Cricketers 3, Masons Arms B 0; Red Lion 0, Cricketers Arms A 3.

Section 6: Vikings Sports C 2, Six Bells B 1; Marston BL 2, White Hart A 1; Green Road Club A 0, Northway Club A 3; Florence Park Club 2, Black Horse B 1; Donnington Club B 1, Original Swan A 2.

Section 7: Northway Club B 0, Prince of Wales 3; Red Lion B 3, Catherine Wheel A 0; Black Horse A 2, Northway Club C 1; Cricketers B 0, Kidlington Sports Club 3; Catherine Wheel B 2, The Tandem 1.

Section 8: Golden Ball 3, Gladiators C 0; Headington Con Club 0, Red Lion 3; White Hart A 3, Seacourt Bridge B 0; Democrats B 1, White Hart Wytham 2.

Sixers: K Giles (Gladiators A), L Hazell (The Swan A), R Bradford (Black Prince), M Hewitson (Swan B), R Alder (Chequers C), A Clare (Vikings D).

Blobbers: R Heath (Northway C), J Hume (Cricketers B), B Stone (White Hart Wytham), C Cox (Democrats B), L Newport (Seacourt Bridge B), B Harwood (Red Lion Cassington), S Green (Chequers C).

Top doll scorers: 16 – K Giles (Gladiators A). 15 – D Cox (Garsington Sports A). 14 – R Bradford (Black Prince), A Clare (Vikings D). 13 – R Goodall (New Club A), L Thompson (The Swan A), M Hewitson, S King (both Swan B), N Lyon, P Townsend (both Three Pigeons).

ABINGDON & DISTRICT LEAGUE

(sponsored by Dyno Plumbing & Heating)

Premier & A Section: Spread Eagle B 0, Abingdon United B 6; Abingdon Con Club 4, Plum Pudding B 2; College Oak A 4, Steventon Spts A 2; Hart Harwell A 4, Tandem 2; Plum Pudding 3, Spread Eagle 3.

B Section: Abingdon United C 4, Red Lion Drayton A 2; Berinsfield SC B 4, Abingdon RBL 2; Chequers Charney 4, SITV FC 2; Fox Denchworth B 2, Fox Denchworth A 4; Vine Cumnor 2, Royal Oak Didcot 4.

C Section: Abingdon Arms Wantage 6, Brewery Tap A 0; Eight Bells Eaton 4, Spread Eagle D 2; Plough East Hendred 4, Abingdon Con Club A 2; Red Lion Drayton B 2, Bell Grove 4; Grapes 6, Fleur De Lys 0.

D Section: Bowyer Arms 3, Waggon & Horses B 3; FMSSC Morning Star 2, Wheatsheaf Didcot A 4; Harwellian A 5, White Horse A 1; North Star A 0, Bear & Ragged Staff 6; Plough Long Wittenham 6, Berinsfield SC C 0.

E Section: Boundary House 4, Black Horse East Hanney 2; Brewery Tap B 4, Harwellian B 2; Crown Marcham 0, Boundary House A 6; George & Dragon Upton 2, Saxton Rov 4; Waggon & Horses A 5, Wheatsheaf Drayton 1.

F Section: Ladygrove A 2, Old Anchor A 4; Queens Arms Didcot 3, RAL Sec Soc 3; Wheatsheaf Didcot B 4, Wantage Town FC 2; White Horse B 4, North Star B 2.

Sixers: B Glen (SITV FC), SJ Fisher (Royal Oak Didcot).

Blobbers: D Reynolds (White Horse A), G Walton (Brewery Tap B), J Davis (White Horse A), K Lewis (Wantage Town FC), K Parker (Brewery Tap B), L Giles (Fleur De Lys), L Rollinson (Crown Marcham), L Chadwick (Boundary House), M Batty (Harwellian A), P Parmenter (Brewery Tap A), P Argent (White Horse A).

WYCHWOOD LEAGUE

Chadlington SSC 8, Oxford Yeoman B 2; Hanborough SSC 0, Black Prince B 10; Black Prince A 6, Cock Inn 4; Masons Arms A 6, Enstone SSC 4; Ye Olde Cross Keys 4, George & Dragon 6; Oxford Yeoman A 6, Stonesfield SSC 4; Queens Head B 0, Red Lion 10; Three Horseshoes 4, Masons Arms B 6; Killingworth Castle 7, Woodman Inn 3.

Top dolls: C Buckingham (Masons A) 19.

Sixers: B Townsend, G Williams, T Brice.

BICESTER & DISTRICT LEAGUE

(sponsored by Hook Norton Brewery)

Premier & Div 1: Black Bull A 2, White Lion A 1; Crown A 3, Black Bull B 0; Muddy Duck 2, Nut Tree 1; Bull Inn A 3, The Lion 0.

Div 2: Bell Bicester 3, Bull Inn B 0; Red Lion Islip 1, The Pheasant 2; Highfield SC 2, White Horse B 1; Brill S&SC B 2, Ashton Club 1.

Div 3: Barley Mow 2, Brill S&SC A 1; Red Lion Finmere 0, Prince of Wales 3; Bull & Butcher B 3, Chearsley Cricketers 0.

Div 4: Harrison 1, White Hart 2; Fountain A 2, Ex Services 1; Red Cow 2, Chandos Arms 1.

Div 5: Plough Marsh Gibbon 2, Red Lion Stratton Audley 1; White Lion B 2, Fountain B 1.

Div 6: Crown Gawcott 3, Black Bull Divas 0; Eight Bells 0, Butchers Arms 3.

Sixer: K Powney (Black Bull A).