JOHN Benfield produced a sensational finish to win Oxfordshire’s Longford Cup on finals day at Shiplake BC.
The Chadlington bowler was in all sorts of trouble when he trailed City & County’s Terry Gripe 16-12 after 17 ends of their clash.
But Benfield won the next six ends to run out a 21-16 winner and lift the cup.
In the semi-finals, Benfield gave a sign of what was to come with a thumping 21-2 success over Oxford’s Gary Watts.
Gripe saw off Banbury Central’s Mike Andrew 21-17 to reach the final, where he found Benfield just too good.
Barry Lambourne, from host club Shiplake, won the Officer’s Cup.
Lambourne raced into a 10-1 lead after only five ends of his final against Banbury Central’s Ian Whelpton.
A pair of twos and threes brought the 2008 winner within four shots, but Lambourne, who last won the trophy in 1999, took the next six ends for a 21-11 win.
Lambourne had defeated Charlbury’s Nigel Siford 21-12 in the last four, with Whelpton seeing off Middle Barton’s Martin Fraser 21-5.
Banbury Chestnut’s Brian Ray landed the Allison Cup after a superb victory over Thame’s Adie Twinn.
The 21-end final saw Twinn holding a lead of 13-7, only for his Banbury opponent to collect ten shots in four ends and then three from the five to secure a 21-15 scoreline.
Ray defeated Thame’s Adi Kemish 21-12 in the last four, while Twinn saw off Brian Eastgate, from City & County, 21-15.
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