THE Swan A will have two entries in the semi-finals of the Oxford & District Pairs competition.

Martin Herbert and Dave Lee joined Mark Revill and Lee Thompson in the last four after they each battled their way through three rounds.

They will be joined by North Leigh FC’s Jeff Glenister and Mark Rollins, with Rob Bradford and Roger Goodall from The Black Prince completing the semi-final line-up.

Revill and Thompson beat Gladiators pair Kevin Giles and Chris Jenkins 2-0 in the first round, winning the second leg on three sticks after a 7-7 tie.

They overcame Ampleforth Arms duo Dave Simms and Mark Washington 6-4, 6-5 at the next stage, before a humdinger against Jason Fox and Steve Ducker of the Six Bells in the quarter-finals.

After a 5-5 tie in the first leg, three and then one stick could not separate them and the Swan pair won with a set of six.

They only needed three in the next leg to complete victory and reach the semi-final.

Goodall and Bradford were also in action at The Cricketers Arms, overcoming Gladiators duo Scott Thompson and Kevin Baker on three sticks after a 7-7 tie in the first-round decider.

Next came a 2-0 victory against North Leigh FC’s Ray Grant and Spencer Buckingham, before they were taken all the way by Six Bells pair Alan Surman and Alan Goodgame.

They won the first leg 5-4, lost the second 9-8 and took the decider after easily passing their opponents’ total of four.

At The Ampleforth Arms, Glenister and Rollins edged out Ian McAteer and Trevor Dyer of The Black Prince on a one-stick shoot-out in the first round.

With the teams locked at 1-1, they tied 5-5 on six sticks and 3-3 on three before the North Leigh duo’s one proved enough.

They beat Andy Gorge and Gary Coulthard of The Blackbird A in the next round, before overcoming Blackbird B duo Craig and Graham Hambridge 7-4, 8-4.

Herbert and Lee joined Swan teammates Revill and Thompson in the semi-finals after wins of 2-0, 2-1 and 2-1 in their matches.

The early rounds of the Lower Section was played at Gladiators, with four clubs represented in the semi-finals.

Masons Arms B duo Joe Bandrowski and Phil Jilbert, Steve Bradbury and Andy Clare of Cowley Workers A, and Six Bells C’s Clive Walsh and Dean Plumstead all reached the last four, with Steven Reeves and Gary Smith, of Vikings B, completing the line-up.