Section 2 leaders Cowley Workers had their title hopes severely dented when they went down 6-3 to Three Horseshoes.

The shoes got off to a good start when wins from Fred Parsons, Steve Colling, Paul Bustin and John Smith gave them a 4-0 lead.

Workers hit back and wins from Lyndon Richards and Wayland Honour reduced the arrears to 4-2,.

But Shoes went on to win the pairs 2-1 for a shock victory.

Rose Hill Community Centre A are now just one point be-hind the leaders after a fine 8-1 win over College Oak, Nuffield Lounge increased their lead at the top of Section 3 despite a narrow win over bottom side Crown Inn.

Nuffield took the opening game with a win from Mark Moss, Crown recovered and wins from Pete Sellar, John Adams and Keith Coleman gave them a surprise 3-1 lead.

The home side hit back and wins from the unbeaten Dan Jones and Martin Atherton levelled the scores at 3-3 and a 2-1 pairs win for the Nuffield gave them a nervy 5-4 success, George Bar lost their chance to close the gap on the leaders when they lost 6-3 defeat to the visiting Masons Arms A, Section 4 leaders Prince Of Wales lost their unbeaten record as second-placed Blackbird Bar recorded an exciting 5-4 win over them.

The home side went three up when Dave Swanton, Peter Tarry and Adam Berry won.

The visitors came back to level at 3-3 with wins from Gary Cox, Mark Bayliss and Dave Presley but a 2-1 pairs win saw Blackbird edge home.

Golden Ball opened up a two-point lead at the top of Section 5 after a convincing 7-2 win over Jolly Postboys, Rileys Social Club D hit good form as they beat Section 6 rivals Six Bells 6-3.

Nick Norris beat Chris Room as the home side drew first blood.

Bells levelled through Trevor Skinner (180) yet Ril-eys went back in front as Danny Byrne beat Greg Stevens.

Six Bells rallied with wins from Alan Hardwick and Paul Skinner, but Stuart Cherry beat Tony Wheeler and a pairs win saw Rileys home.

l WITH the new county season only a few weeks away, the Oxfordshire county darts organisation will be holding a money-in money-out knockout competition at Rileys Cowley this Thursday night.

It is open to all players.

RESULTS MEN’S LEAGUE Premier & Section 1: The Angel 5, The Shears 4; Butchers Arms 2, Bicester Town FC 7.

Section 2: Three Horseshoes 6, Cowley Workers 3; Rose Hill A 8, College Oak 1.

Section 3: Nuffield Lounge 5, The Crown 4; East Oxford CC 6, Marsh Harrier A 3; George Bar 3, Masons Arms A 6; Democrats Club 6, Rileys SC B 3.

Section 4: Blackbird Bar A 5, Prince of Wales 4; Cricketers Arms 6, Original Swan A 3.

Section 5: Golden Ball 7, Jolly Postboys 2; Marston RBL A 6, Catherine Wheel A 3; Masons Arms C 3, Nuffield Bar 6.

Section 6: Rileys SC D 6, Six Bells 3; Crown Inn 1, Chequers C 8.

Section 7: Quarry Gate 3, Team Monarch 6; Three Horseshoes 2, Chequers B 7; Black Horse 6, Corner House 3; Butchers Arms 8, Rose Hill B 1.

Section 8: Catherine Wheel B 5, Red Lion 4; Crown House 6, Fairview Inn B 3.

LADIES’ LEAGUE Premier & Section 1: Team Berry 0, Florence Park A 9; Vikings SC 3, East Oxford CC 6; Nuffield Bar 7, Butchers Arms 2; Florence Park B 5, Blackbird Bar 4.

Section 2: Dogwood 3, Donnington A 6; Donnington CC B 5, Nuffield Arms A 4.

Section 3: Rileys SC A 2, Prince of Wales 7; Three Horseshoes 3, Gladiators A 6; Quarry Gate C 4, Littlemore RBL 5.

Section 4: Marston RBL 5. Chequers A 4; Nuffield Arms B 4, Democrats Club 5.

Section 5: Chequers B 2, Six Bells A 7; Quarry Gate B 3, Littlemore Rugby Club 6.

Section 6: Six Bells B 5, Cricketers Arms 4; Rose Hill CC 3, Ampleforth Arms 6.

Section 7: Crown Inn 7, Catherine Wheel B 2; Golden Ball A 4, Cherwell Club 5; JR Hospital SC B 4, Red Lion 5.

Section 8: Corner House 5, JR Hospital SC A 4; Catherine Wheel A 7, Quarry Gate A 2; Original Swan 6, Golden Ball B 3.

This week's 180s: J Jukes (Rileys SC C) 2, J Cattermole 2 (The Angel) 2, S Donaldson (Black Horse), T Skinner (Six Bells), G Cox (Prince of Wales), C Webb (Masons Arms A), M Moss (Nuffield Lounge), P Sellar (Crown Inn), S McCorley (Marsh Harrier A), D Woodbridge (College Oak), J Barrett (Rose Hill CC A), S Dutton (Rileys SC C), P Hall (Rileys SC C), K Middleton (Angel), J Palmer (Bicester Town FC), D Buckingham (Bicester Town FC), S Singh (Democrats Club SC).

100-plus finishes: K Coleman (Crown Inn) 160, M Medland (Fairview Inn B) 160, K Ballard (Nuffield Lounge) 141, P Fisher (Bicester Town FC) 130, T Skinner (Six Bells) 116, J Crawford (Golden Ball) 114, A Wilson (Butchers Arms) 107, A Thomas (Bicester Tn FC) 102, S Jefferies (Butchers Arms) 102.