IT’S crunch time for Oxfordshire this weekend when they take on Bedfordshire in Division 1 of the Rileys British Inter-Counties Championship.

At stake is a place in the top flight of British darts for the only the second time in Oxfordshire’s history.

But after leading the way for much of the season, they must now hope other results go their way.

Defeat in their penultimate fixture away to County Durham last month saw Oxon slip down to third and out of the automatic promotion places behind leaders Hampshire and Gwent.

So Oxon must win their final fixture and hope the top two, both at home, slip up.

Hampshire take on bottom-of-the-table Somerset, while Gwent face County Durham.

“This is a must-win game if we are to be promoted,” said men’s A team manager Graham Manning.

“With three points separating the top three teams and 39 points up for grabs, we must fight for every point if we are to return to the Premiership,”

Preben Krabben returns to the men’s A, while the men’s B include Olly Varney and Stuart White, both of whom were unavailable last month.

Deta Hedman, away on international duty last time, is back to strengthen the ladies A team, who make a late decision on the sixth player to complete their line-up.

The match is at Rileys in Between Towns Road, Cowley, and starts at 12pm on Saturday and 11am on Sunday.

OXON LINE-UPS

Men’s A: P Addison, N Cobb, S Dutton (Vauxhall Kidlington), P Hall (GWRSA Club, Didcot), J Jukes, P Krabben, I Moss, K Shepherd, D Smith, A Thomas (ACG Labels), M Thomson, K Wilkins (KW Flooring).

Men’s B: R Anderson, A Barrett, D Butler, A Larner, G Manning (Sandvik Coromant), J Mulley, J Palmer, J Russell, L Russell, N Russell, O Varney, S White.

Res: R Haines, S Holly, D Lockyer, N Russell, A Stevens, M Stocker, S Wright, K Young.

Ladies A: S Cox, D Hedman, L Jennings, L Jones, K Williams, AN Other.

Ladies B: N Curzon, K Dutton, J Jenkins, K Ledbury, B Manning, J Newman (Duke of Cumberland’s Head).

Res: Cali Birch, Cath Birch, P Guy, H Prowton (Spar Eynsham), J Weedon.