SWAN A need just one more point to retain the Premier Section title after earning a 3-0 home win over George A in the Greene King Oxford & District League.

The first leg was a thriller with the visitors setting 26 and Swan’s top four players only hitting 11 between them.

However, the tail stepped up and clanged off 15 to tie the leg, which Swan won on three sticks.

The leaders then romped home 30-22, 27-23 as Lee Thompson (5-5-4) Dave Lee (5-3-6) and Jon Townsend (5-5-4) all hit 14 dolls.

Nearest rivals Gladiators A are still hoping for a miracle after a 3-0 win over New Club A, who will have to wait another week to claim the two points they need for the Section 1 crown.

Chris Jenkins (4-6-5) top-scored with 15, while Andy Beal (4-5-5) chipped in with 14 as they triumphed in leg scores of 27-20, 31-21, 32-21.

Garsington Sports closed the gap on New Club to five points when beating Swan B 3-0.

Section 2 leaders Donnington Club C dropped a valuable leg at Red Lion A Marston.

They now need three points from the final two games to be crowned champions.

Donnington lost the first leg 23-16, before fighting back to win 18-17, 22-16, thanks to the efforts of Steve Greenough (5-4-5) who clanged off 14.

Darren Trinder (4-4-5) hit 13 for Marston.

Gladiators C, four points behind the leaders, missed the chance to close the gap after a 2-1 defeat at Donnington A.

The hosts, for whom Steve Walton (5-5-4) led the way with 14, triumphed 28-22, 21-20, 17-26.

Ampleforth Arms A moved level on points with Gladiators when earning maximum points over three tight legs at Red Lion A Kidlington.

They won with leg scores of 17-16, 20-19, 18-13.

Six Bells D Kidlington scored five more dolls than hosts Tiddington Cricket Club, but still lost 2-1.

Gladiators B have been crowned Section 3 champions after beating New Club B 3-0 in leg scores of 24-19, 21-20, 19-16 – their sixth successive win of the season.

Catherine Wheel A and Red Lion B Yarnton continue to battle it out for the Section 4 title.

But leaders Catherine, who are points clear, may have dropped a valuable leg in their quest for the crown.

They beat Bullnose Morris B 2-1, but almost lost the match.

The contest went down to the final leg and Catherine could only set a beatable 13, but their opponents fell one shot after their anchorman blobbed.

Red Lion whitewashed visitors Cowley Workers 3-0 to keep up the pressure.

They won the first two legs 16-12, 17-14, but had to rely on a three-stick shoot-out in the third leg after it was tied 13-13.

Alan Middleton (6-3-3) bagged a six in his 12-doll haul as Green Road A beat Northway C 2-1.

Dean Lane also hit a dozen dolls for Northway, but could not prevent the 20-17, 19-17, 12-16 defeat.

Three teams are battling it out for the Section 5 crown.

Cricketers Arms Cowley earned an important 3-0 win over Cricketers Arms Littleworth to move two points clear.

Vikings Sports C dropped a costly point at home to Littlemore British Legion B, while third-placed Masons Arms B are right on their tail after securing a 3-0 win over Red Lion B Marston.

Section 6 leaders Chequers B claimed maximum points at White Horse in leg scores of 19-11, 19-12, 19-8.

Duke of Monmouth are four points further back following a hard-fought 3-0 win over Red Lion B Kidlington – 14-10, 15-14, 14-13.

Headington Conservative Club secured the Section 7 title when beating Yarnton British Legion 2-1, which extended their unbeaten run to 13 games.

RESULTS

OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier/Section 1: Chequers A 1, Black Prince 2; Gladiators A 3, New Club A 0; Garsington Sports 3, Swan B 0; Swan A 3, George A 0; Woodman 2, Red Lion A 1.

Section 2: Tiddington Cricket Club 2, Six Bells D 1; Red Lion A Marston 1, Donnington Club C 2; Six Bells E 2, Bullnose Morris A 1; Red Lion A Kidlington 0, Ampleforth Arms A 3; Donnington Club A 2, Gladiators C 1.

Section 3: George B 2, Six Bells A 1; Six Bells B 1, Seacourt Bridge 2; Littlemore BL A 0, Queens Head 3; New Club B 0, Gladiators B 3; Rose Hill Club 2, Masons Arms A 1.

Section 4: Blackbird 2, Vikings Sports B 1; Red Lion B 3, Cowley Workers Club 0; Vikings Sports A 3, Swan C 0; Bullnose Morris B 1, Catherine Wheel B 2; Green Road Club A 2, Northway Club C 1.

Section 5: Ampleforth Arms B 2, Vikings Sports D 1; Tandem 3, Donnington Club B 0; Vikings Sports C 2, Littlemore BL B 1; Cricketers Arms Littleworth 0, Cricketers Arms Cowley 3; Masons Arms B 3, Red Lion B Marston.

Section 6: Kidlington FC A 1, Green Road Club B 2; Duke of Monmouth 3, Red Lion B Kidlington 0; White Horse 0, Chequers B 3; Bletchington Sports 3, Golden Ball 0; Catherine Wheel A 1, Prince of Wales 2.

Section 7: Marston BL 3, East Oxford Con Club 0; Northway Club B 2, White Hart Wytham 1; Red Lion 2, White Hart Wolvercote 1; Yarnton BL 1, Headington Con Club 2; Democrats Club 0, Kidlington FC B 3.

Top doll scorers: 15 – C Jenkins (Gladiators A). 14 – A Beal (Gladiators A), L Thompson, D Lee, J Townsend (all Swan A), S Walton (Donnington Club A). 13 – M Rollins (Woodman).

Sixers: C Jenkins (Gladiators A), D Lee (Swan A), A Middleton (Green Road Club A), J Wells (Vikings Sports C), S Majkut (New Club B).

Blobbers: J Milligan (Vikings Sports C), T Dagliesh (Golden Ball), D Newman (Democrats Club), C Laver, L Cadoret (Yarnton BL), T Deacon (Cowley Workers).

BICESTER & DISTRICT LEAGUE

(Sponsored by Lodge Garage Mazda, Kingswood)

League Cup – Semi-finals: Black Bull A 2, Pheasant Inn 0; Lion 2, Crown A 1.

League Plate – Semi-finals: Highfield SC 0, White Lion 2; Bull Inn A 2, Prince of Wales 0.

Intermediate Cup – Semi-finals: Ashton Club 1, Brill S&SC A 2; Shakespeare 2, Plough A 0.

Intermediate Plate – Semi-finals: Barley Mow 2, Bull Inn B 0; Crown Twyford 0, Chearsley Cricketers 2.