SWAN A have climbed to within five points of top spot after beating Greene King Oxford & District League Premier Section holders Gladiators A 3-0, writes ANDY BEAL.

Jon Townsend found form for a side, who started the season slowly, to clang off 14 dolls (5-6-3) in their 31-26, 30-25, 26-24 victory.

Leaders Black Prince fell to a 2-1 defeat at Woodman with leg scores of 20-22, 27-24, 29-22.

Garsington Sports A are now only two points behind after beating Six Bells E Kidlington 2-1.

They came from behind to triumph 14-26, 24-23, 30-21.

Section 1 leaders Swan B strengthened their title hopes with a 3-0 victory against Chequers C – 22-17, 20-18, 26-17.

George A are still in the hunt after beating Three Pigeons 3-0.

Kevin Stuart led the way with a 13-doll haul (6-2-5) in their 29-24, 22-19, 27-21 triumph.

Section 2 frontrunners Bullnose Morris A’s blip continued in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Donnington Club A.

Adam Baker had a mixed night for the victory, scoring a six in the final leg, having previously hit only two dolls in the 24-20, 22-17, 19-21 triumph.

Tiddington Cricket Club remain on their tail after beating Garsington Sports B 2-1.

They won the first two legs 21-15, 23-22.

Garsington prevented the whitewash by winning the third on three sticks after it had been tied 24-24, but Pete Shepherd fell one short of initially clinching the leg.

Red Lion A Yarnton remain second after a 3-0 win against Black Horse B – 19-16, 24-17, 19-14.

Only four points separate as many sides in Section 3 and Ampleforth Arms A lead the way after battling to a 3-0 victory against Vikings Sports A.

They triumphed with leg scores of 29-17, 20-17, 24-24 (three sticks), Andy Lewis hitting 13 (5-4-4).

Second-placed Donnington C suffered a 3-0 defeat at Chequers A, for whom Phil Hounslow clanged off 12 (5-3-4) in their 18-9, 16-15, 18-14 victory.

Alan Surman hit a six in his 11-doll haul as Masons A saw off Queens Head 3-0 – 15-13, 18-17, 28-19.

Six Bells A Kidlington boosted their Section 4 title ambitions when beating George B 2-1.

With the match poised at 1-1, Six Bells took the decider 21-11.

In Section 5, Masons B’s fast start proved in vain as they lost 2-1 at Vikings Sports C with leg scores of 13-16, 16-9, 15-11.

Swan C beat Blackbird 3-0 – 18-20, 18-14, 18-12 – with Marc Hearne clanging off 11.

Leaders Red Lion B Yarnton dropped a point at White Horse A Wolvercote in a 16-9, 16-7, 12-16 triumph.

Steve Took hit 13 (5-5-3) and Grant Brown 12 (4-4-4) to help Catherine Wheel B overcome Section 6 pacesetters Seacourt Bridge 3-0 – 17-13, 20-13, 18-15.

Only one doll separated Cowley Workers and Kidlington Football Club and it was the former who triumphed 15-12, 13-13 (three sticks), 13-15.

Section 7 leaders Tandem came from behind to beat Northway Club B 13-14, 10-4, 13-8, Richard Butler whipping off 12 (5-4-3).

Bletchington Sports Club stay second after a 2-1 home win over Golden Ball A – 14-8, 17-14, 12-14.

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & Section 1: Six Bells E 1, Garsington Sports A 2; Chequers C 0, The Swan B 3; The George A 3, Three Pigeons 0; The Swan A 3, Gladiators A 0; The Woodman 1, Black Prince 2.

Section 2: Red Lion A 3, Black Horse B 0; Gladiators B 1, Florence Park A 2; Garsington Sports B 1, Tiddington Cricket Club 1; Donnington Club A 2, Bullnose Morris A 1; Queens Head B 2, Six Bells D 1.

Section 3: Vikings Sports A 0, Ampleforth Arms A 3; Chequers A 3, Donnington Club C 3; Masons Arms A 3, Queens Head A 0; Rose Hill Club 2, Littlemore BL A 1; Red Lion A 1, Six Bells B 2.

Section 4: Six Bells A 2, The George B 1; Bullnose Morris B 2, Donnington Club B 1; Ampleforth Arms B 3, Red Lion B 0; New Club 3, Cricketers Arms 0; Green Road Club 1, Vikings Sports B 2

Section 5: Vikings Sports C 2, Masons Arms B 1; The Blackbird 1, The Swan C 2; Northway Club C 3, Cricketers Arms 0; Florence Park B 2, Democrats Club A 1; White Hart A 1, Red Lion B 2.

Section 6: Catherine Wheel B 3, Seacourt Bridge 0; Prince of Wales 2, North Oxford CC 1; Kidlington FC 1, Cowley Workers Club 2; Marston BL B 1, Vikings Sports D 2.

Section 7: The Tandem 2, Northway Club B 1; Black Horse A 2, Marston BL A 1; Bletchindon Sports 2, Golden Ball A 1.

Section 8: Donnington Club D 3, Gladiators C 0.

Sixers: J Townsend (The Swan A), K Stuart (George A), A Surman (Six Bells B), C Buckingham (The Woodman), M Hearne (The Swan C), A Baker (Donnington Club A).

Blobbers: R Hambridge (Florence Park Club B), A Clare (Vikings Sports D), A Dawson (White Hart A), A Henderson (Six Bells D), A Varney (Northway Club B).

Top doll scorers: 14 – J Townsend (The Swan A). 13 – K Stuart (George A), S Tooke (Catherine Wheel B), A Lewis (Ampleforth Arms A).