AN EVENTFUL night across four different venues saw a big field whittled down to eight contenders for the Oxford Singles.

Black Prince pair Roger Goodall and Phil Austin reached the quarter-finals, alongside Black Prince duo Kevin Stuart and Billy Trinder.

Steve Ward (Six Bells D), Geoff Townsend (Chequers C), Dave Simms (Ampleforth Arms A) and Kevin Giles (Gladiators A) also progressed to the last-eight, to be held on September 2.

Giles and Goodall battled their way through at the George, Littlemore.

Four-time runner-up Giles beat both Adam Baker (Donnington A) and Adrian Shepherd (New Club A) 2-1.

A six then put him in front against Jeff Glenister (Woodman), before he made it 2-0 in a three-stick shoot-out.

Goodall edged past Pip Goulding (Tiddington CC) 2-1, before claiming victory in a high-scoring encounter with Ian Bowler (Littlemore BL A).

A leg to the good, Goodall set six, but Bowler matched his score and won on three sticks to level.

However, Goodall comfortably took the decider, before also beating Ian McAteer (Black Prince) 2-1.

Played at the Red Lion Marston, holder Mark Rollins (Woodman) was knocked out by Austin.

The Black Prince player then beat teammate Mick Phipps 2-0 to advance.

Last year’s runner-up Stuart progressed with two three-leg victories over Paul Townsend (Woodman) and Keith Powell (Swan A).

At the Chequers, Trinder knocked out Kevin Baker (Gladiators A) and teammate Tony Gillett, before beating Neil Pratley (Woodman) 2-1.

Simms beat Brian Lester (George A), Pete Shepherd (Tiddington CC) and James Morrison (George A) to progress.

His match with Shepherd included a mammoth first leg, with the players unable to be separated until a second three-stick shoot-out.

Ward and Townsend survived early scares at Littlemore BL.

After beating Chris Jenkins (Gladiators A) and Brian Reidy (George A), Ward’s third-round match against Liam Purcell (George A) was decided on the second round of six sticks.

Townsend took his first match on three sticks against Andy Lewis (Ampleforth Arms) and held his nerve in a one-stick shoot-out to beat Steve McAteer (Black Prince).

Meanwhile, there will be a new name on the Ted Houghton Cup after Tom Finney and Jack Lane fought their way through to the final.

Finney, from the Blackbird, scraped past Danny Rawlings in the first round, winning the decisive leg on three sticks.

After a 2-1 win against Chris Jilbert, he then beat father Yorkie Finney on a one-stick shoot-out in the third leg.

Northway B’s Lane beat 2014 winner Steve Buckle in the first round, before defeating John Lucin, who had hit a six in his opening match.

The semi-final was a straightforward 2-0 win over Joe Bandrowski, who could only set one in each leg.

OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

OXFORD SINGLES

1st round: C Buckingham (Woodman) 2, D Walsh (Swan A) 0; T Gillett (George A) 2, S Ducker (Six Bells D) 0; B Trinder (George A) 2, K Baker (Gladiators A) 0; D Simms (Ampleforth A) 2, B Lester (George A) 0; N Pratley (Woodman) 2, Lu Purcell (George A) 0; N King (Red Lion A) 2, M Herbert (Swan A) 0; P Shepherd (Tiddington CC) 2, J Weller (Gladiators A) 0; J Morrison (George A) 2, T Dyer (Black Prince) 1; S McAteer (Black Prince) 2, K McMahon (Bullnose A) 0; B Reidy (George A) 2, J Townsend (Swan A) 1; S Ward (Six Bells D) 2, C Jenkins (Gladiators A) 1; Li Purcell (George A) 2, R Grant (Woodman) 1; W Waite (Bullnose A) 2, J McMahon (Bullnose A) 1; G Glenister (Woodman) 2, A Gorge (Bullnose A) 0; G Coulthard (Littlemore BL) 2, M Poulter (Red Lion A) 1; I Bowler (Littlemore BL) 2, S Walton (Donnington A) 0; R Goodall (Black Prince) 2, P Goulding (Tiddington CC) 1; K Giles (Gladiators A) 2, A Baker (Donnington A) 0; G Coyle (Bullnose A) 2, A Keenan (Woodman) 1; I McAteer (Black Prince) 2, G Hambridge (Bullnose A) 1.

2nd round: S McAteer 2, J Fox 0; S Ward 2, B Reidy 0; G Townsend 2, A Lewis 1; Li Purcell 2, W Waite 1; M Phipps 2, S Buckingham 0; P Austin 2, M Rollins 1; K Powell 2, A Beal 0; K Stuart 2, P Townsend 1; B Trinder 2, T Gillett 1; D Simms 2, P Shepherd 1; J Morrison 2, N King 1; N Pratley 2, C Buckingham 0; K Giles 2, A Shepherd 1; I McAteer 2, G Coulthard 0; G Glenister 2, G Coyle 0; R Goodall 2, I Bowler 1.

3rd round: K Giles 2, G Glenister 0; R Goodall 2, I McAteer 1; K Stuart 2, K Powell 0; P Austin 2, M Phipps 0; S Ward 2, Li Purcell 1; G Townsend 2, S McAteer 1; B Trinder 2, N Pratley 1; D Simms 2, J Morrison 1.

TED HOUGHTON SINGLES

1st round: S McAteer (Black Prince) 2, J Fox (Six Bells D) 0; Y Finney (Blackbird) 2, G Millard (Vikings Sports D) 0; C Jilbert (Masons Arms B) 2, T Rees (Blackbird) 0; J Lane (Northway C) 2, S Buckle (Blackbird) 1; J Bandrowski (Masons Arms B) 2, S Bradbury (Cricketers Arms) 0; J Lucin (East Oxford Con Club) 2, L Costar (Masons Arms B) 1; T Finney (Blackbird) 2, D Rawlings (White Horse) 1; G Rees (Blackbird) 2, M Murphy (Blackbird) 1.

Quarter-finals: J Lane 2, J Lucin 1; J Bandrowski 2, G Rees 1; Y Finney 2, M Gunther 1; T Finney 2, C Jilbert 1.

Semi-finals: T Finney 2, Y Finney 1; J Lane 2, J Bandrowski 0.

Sixers: J Lucin, P Austin, R Goodall, I Bowler, K Giles.

BICESTER AND DISTRICT LEAGUE

(sponsored by Lodge Garage Mazda, Kingswood)

Premier/Div 1: Pheasant Inn 2, Crown A 1; Highfield SC 0, White Lion 3; Nut Tree 2, Black Bull B 1.

Div 2: White Horse 2, Bull Inn A 1; Red Cow 2, Lion 1; Prince of Wales 0, Brill S&SC B 3; Muddy Duck 1, Bell Bicester 2.

Div 3: Chandos Arms 0, Chearsley Cricketers 3; Shakespeare 1, Barley Mow 2; Bull & Butcher B 1, Ashton Club 2; Brill S&SC A 3, Butchers Arms 0.

Div 4: Bull Inn B 1, Hundred Acres 2; White Hart 1, Fox Souldern 2; Plough A 2, Red Lion Finmere 1; Crown Twyford 1, Harrison 2.

Div 5: Eight Bells 2, Black Bull Divas 1; Fountain 2, Plough Casuals 1; Crown B 2, Bull & Butcher A 1; Safari Garden 1, Blacks Head 2.