Neil Lyon (5-6-5) shone with 16 dolls for Three Pigeons, but it was to no avail as they lost 2-1 at home to New Club in Premier/Section 1 of the Greene King Oxford & District League, writes ANDY BEAL.

Chasing a set of 28 in the first leg, Lyon needed a six to tie the leg, but fell one short with five to give New Club an early lead.

Three Pigeons then set a formidable 35 in the next, which proved too many for New Club, who replied with 28, before taking the decider 28-24.

Dave Townsend (4-4-5) chipped in with 13 dolls for Three Pigeons.

Six Bells C Kidlington came away from the George with a 3-0 win in a hard-fought contest.

George set in all three legs, with Six Bells winning the first two 26-22, 32-28 and were chasing 30 in the last.

After an average start, they were left needing 19 from their last four players, and responded well with anchorman Steve Ward hitting the five needed to snatch the leg by the odd doll.

Neil Pratley (5-4-5) whipped off 14 dolls to help the Woodman come from behind and beat the Queens Head 2-1 in Section 2.

After losing the opening leg 15-14, they stormed back to take the next two 19-17, 20-8.

Jim Clemson (5-5-4) also hit 14 dolls for Six Bells Quarry as they inflicted a first defeat on Gladiators A with a 2-1 victory. Six Bells had the game sewn up in the first two legs 22-18, 24-18 before the Gladiators grabbed a point in the last 21-14.

Paul Holt (4-5-6) bagged a six in his 15-doll haul for Squire Bassett in their 3-0 win at home to Chequers A.

They won all three legs 24-19, 26-17, 22-21.

In Section 3, Cowley Workers started off with a bang only to slip to a 2-1 defeat against Royal Sun.

They won the opening leg 28-15, but lost the next two 22-20, 20-19. Workers’ Eamon Hanlon also had mixed fortunes, hitting 11 with his first 12 sticks (5-6), but then mustering only one with his final throw to end up with 12.

Section 4 leaders Fairview Inn crashed to a 3-0 defeat at VikingsB.

Robin Charlton (2-6-4) led the way with a dozen dolls as they won all three legs 21-15, 21-13, 18-13.

Leaders Nelson A beat second-placed Quarry Gate 2-1 in Section 6.

Nelson won the opening leg on three sticks after it was tied 15-15, before Quarry Gate levelled by taking the second 17-14.

However, Nelson, for whom Steve Ledwell top scored with ten dolls, took the final leg 23-13.

Quarry Gate’s Nigel Debanks (4-3-4) hit 11 dolls.

It was a long night at Gladiators B as they won 2-1 against Catherine Wheel A.

With the Gladiators winning the first two legs 15-13, 20-17 the final leg was tied 15-15.

The three-stick shoot-out could not separate them as they drew 8-8 and on one stick it was also tied 2-2.

Back to six sticks and Catherine Wheel finally succeeded 17-16.

Gladiators’ Keith Tanner(4-5-2) shone with 11 dolls.

Anchor man Monty Morgan starred for Golden Ball in the opening leg of their 2-1 win against Donington Club.

Chasing a set of 17, Golden Ball left Morgan with five to win. He fell one short with four, but it took the leg into three sticks, which Golden Ball B won.

They also won the next 15-10, before Donnington stormed back to take the last 25-13.

Masons Arms B continued their surge up Section 7 by beating Red Lion Islip 2-1.

Masons set 17 in the first leg, and after a slow reply from Red Lion, it was left to anchor man Neil Brock to whip off the four dolls needed to snatch victory.

Masons won the next on three sticks after it was tied 15-15 and then went on to take the last 19-13.

Mike Leonard (4-4-3) hit his best score this season with 11 dolls in their 3-0 win at home to Brill Club B.

Original Swan B lost their unbeaten record in Section 10 with a 2-1 defeat at Crown & Thistle.

Thistle won the opening leg 11-9, but Original Swan came back well to win the next 20-10 before losing the last 18-13.

Ashley Plumstead (4-4-3) threw well for Original Swan C with 11 dolls in their 3-0 win against Prince Of Wales in Section 11.

Players should note that the venue for games in the the lower pairs competition tonight has been changed from Six Bells, Quarry to the Prince Of Wales, Iffley Village.

RESULTS

Premier/Section 1: White Hart A 1, Black Swan 2; Three Pigeons 1, New Club A 2; George 0, Six Bells C Kidlington 3; Rowing Machine 1, Cricketers B 2; Garsington Sports A 1, Headington British Legion 2.

Section 2: Squire Bassett 3, Chequers A 0; Six Bells A 2, Gladiators A 1; Red Lion Brill 1, White Hart B Eynsham 2; Queens Head A 1, Woodman 2; Punch Bowl 2, Kidlington Sports B 1.

Section 3: Tiddington Cricket Club 1, Vikings Sports A 2; Team Monarch 2, Ampleforth Arms 1; North Oxford Con Club A 1, Chequers C 2; Crown A 1, Three Horseshoes 2; Cowley Workers 1, Royal Sun 2.

Section 4: Vikings Sports B 3, Fairview A 0; Griffin 1, Seacourt Bridge 2; Quarry Gate B 2, Masons A 1; Kennington Club A 1, Green Road Club 2; Cricketers Arms 2, Garsington Sports B 1.

Section 5: New Club B 1, Queens Head B 2; Marston BL 0, Six Bells A 3; Donnington Club A 2, Nelson B 1; Cricketers A 1, Folly Bridge 2; Chandos Arms B 2, King & Queen 1.

Section 6: Nut Tree 1, Vikings Sports C 2; Nelson A 2, Quarry Gate A 1; Littlemore Rugby Club 1, Black Bull 2; Gladiators B 2, Catherine Wheel A 1; Donnington Club C 1, Golden Ball B 2.

Section 7: Red Lion Wendlebury 3, Brill Club B 0; Northway Club 2, Red Lion A Wolvercote 1; Masons B 2, Red Lion Islip 1; Kidlington Sports A 3, Chandos Arms A 0; Chequers B 1, Red Lion Yarnton 2.

Section 8: Six Bells B Kidlington 2, Red Lion B Cassington 1; Rose Hill Club 1, North Oxford Con Club B 2; Golden Ball A 3, Jolly Sportsman 0; Brill Club A 2, Blackbird 1.

Section 9: Red Lion A Kidlington 3, Prince Of Wales 0; Original Swan A 1, Florence Park Club 2; Kings Arms 1, Crown B 2; Fairview B 1, Priory A 2; Cowley Con Club 1, Donnington Club B 2.

Section 10: Red Lion Old Marston 3, Red Lion B Kidlington 0; Red Lion A Cassington 1, Corner House 2; Kings Arms A 2, Hollybush A 1; Crown & Thistle 2, Original Swan B 1; Catherine Wheel B 3, White Hart 0.

Section 11: Kite 2, Kennington Club B 1; Red Lion B Wolvercote 1, George & Dragon 2; Original Swan C 3, Prince Of Wales 0; Hollybush B 2, Priory B 1.

SIXERS

D Sellar (Cricketers B), E Lacey (Rowing Machine), B Trinder (Headington BL), T Bradford (New Club A), N Lyon (Three Pigeons), M Berry (White Hart A), P Holt (Squire Bassett), E Hanlon (Cowley Workers), M Cook (Team Monarch), R Charlton (Vikings B), S Peedel (Seacourt Bridge).

BLOBBERS

C Bateman (Red Lion Cassington), M Goodenough (Corner House), D Woltman (White Hart Wytham), R Smy, L Finnegan (Red Lion Kidlington), S Clarke (Kings Arms A Kidlington), L Bruns (Holly Bush A), N Higgs, H Mansell (Kennington Club B), F Delaney (Holly Bush B), H Morgan, M Carbelly (Red Lion B Wolvercote), C Wright (George & Dragon), G Newbold, C Flett (Prince Of Wales Iffley).