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FRIDAY 21ST OCTOBER - FINALS NIGHT
So we finally came to the climax of the 2016 Wychwood season,with our season finale again being held at Eynsham Sports & Social Club. It seems like an age ago since we had our opening round of fixtures, which believe it or not was held way back on Thursday 28th April! The finals themselves lived up to the hype, with some great throwing all evening, with the Sixers Cup a particular highlight of mine. The full results are as follows:
SUPPLEMENTARY CUP
OXFORD YEOMAN 'A' v OXFORD YEOMAN 'B'
The opening match of the evening was a battle of the Yeoman sides, with Division Two title winners Yeoman 'B' looking to make it a league & cup double with victory over their fast improving younger Yeoman 'A'. It was the 'B' side that won the opening leg of the match 13-11, but the 'A' team hit straight back to level things up by winning the second leg 15-9. It felt like the third leg would be crucial, and it was the 'B' team that gained the advantage by winning it by a single doll 9-8. With the trophy within touching distance, the 'B' team set 13 in the fourth leg, which proved to be enough as the chase by the 'A' team fell short with a total of 8.
WINNING TEAM: OXFORD YEOMAN 'B'
Congratulations to Supplementary Cup Winners the Oxford Yeoman 'B'
FOURS COMPETITION
R ADAMS, K GARDINER, S BAREFIELD & D GARDINER
v
P TOWNSEND, D HARRIS, K JOHNSON & S BUCKINGHAM
The second match of the evening was the Fours Cup, with the team from the George & Dragon 'A' up against the team from the Masons Arms 'A'. It was the Masons that came out on top, after taking the first leg 10-5, and then chasing down the George's set of 8 in the second leg to claim the cup.
WINNING TEAM: THE MASONS ARMS (PT, DH, KJ & SB)
Congratulations to the Fours Competition Winners the Masons Arms 'A'
TRIPLES COMPETITION
J TOWNSEND, D WALSH & K POWELL
v
P AUSTIN, D GRANT & M PHIPPS
The Triples competition provided us with an all Black Prince 'A' affair, with even the officials coming from within the squad. The triple consisting of Jon, Dick & Keith won the toss and decided to set in the first leg, and with the help of the first six of the evening from Dick, set the marker with a total of 11. The better looking triple of Phil, Darren & Mick managed to tie the leg, with Mick getting his final stick. That morale 'victory' was short lived, as the next two legs resulted in poor set totals of 5 and then 7, which the old 'masters' passed with ease.
WINNING TEAM: THE BLACK PRINCE (JT, DW & KP)
Congratulations to the Triple Competiton Winners the Black Prince 'A'
SIXERS CUP
R GRANT, R GOODALL, J TOWNSEND, R JOHNSON, D GARDINER & D WALSH
As is proven every year, the Sixers cup seems to get harder and harder to win, with the line up this year another list of fantastic players. It's always impossible to predict, and very much a open field. This year was no exception. Played over 5 legs, it was nip and tuck all the way. After three legs, there was just 4 dolls seperating the entire field. The fourth leg was always going to be crucial, and Ray knocked off a 5 to move onto 17 to start the leg off. This was the point when Jon made his move and matched that 5 to move one doll ahead on 18, with the rest of the field tucked in behind. The final leg proved to be the decider, with Jon hitting his fourth 5 of the match to end on a winning total of 23 dolls. The runners up spot was claimed by Richard, who manage to pip Ray in a playoff.
WINNER: JON TOWNSEND, THE BLACK PRINCE
RUNNER UP: RICHARD JOHNSON, CHADLINGTON SPORTS
Congratulations to the Sixers Cup Winner Jon Townsend, and to rest of the finalist for getting through to make it a great final
SINGLES COMPETITION - SEMI FINALS
J TOWNSEND v D WALSH
The first Semi Final was a surprisingly short match, with Jon recording his fourth & fifth consecutive scores of 5 to knock out his teammate Dick and move into the final
E LACEY v C BUCKINGHAM
The second Semi Final was much closer, and needed a 3 stick platoff to decide the winner. The opening leg was tied of 3 each, so no advantage was gained by either player. Charlie then set in the second leg, and produced some magic to hit a 6 and take the lead after Eddie couldn't match it. Knowing that only a win in the final leg would keep him in the event, Eddie was set 3, which he eased past with a great 5. This ment the match was drawn on 1&1/2 legs each, so it was down to 3 sticks we went, with Eddie holding his nerve to advance to the final
KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL
BLACK PRINCE 'A' v MASONS ARMS 'A'
This seasons Knockout Cup final was between the Premier Sections top two sides, who had both overcome some tricky fixtures to make it through to the final. It was The Prince team that went on to regain the trophy for a fourth consecitive year after recording a 6-0 victory, with strong legs of 25-22-23, including a 6 from the in form Jon Townsend.
WINNING TEAM: THE BLACK PRINCE A
Congratulations to the Knockout Cup Winners The Black Prince A, and to The Masons Arms on getting through to the final.
PAIRS COMPETITION
R GOODALL & K POWELL v J GLENISTER & L THOMPSON
The penultimate match of the evening was yet another final that, on paper, could of gone either way, with holders Jeff & Lee looking to retain their trophy against a tough looking pair of Roger & Keith. It was the pair from The Black Prince that came out on top after some superb throwing from Roger, who hit a 5 in the first leg to help the pair to a 9-6 first leg win, and then he went one better and came up with a 6 (Which was even more important as he was one behind Jon Townsend in the race for the 'Six Hitter' trophy) in the second leg to again set 9, which the pair from The Queens couldn't quite chase down.
WINNING PAIR: R GOODALL & K POWELL, THE BLACK PRINCE
Congratulations to the Pairs Cup Winners Roger & Keith, and to Jeff & Lee for making it through to the final again.
SINGLES COMPETITION - FINAL
J TOWNSEND v E LACEY
So the final match of the evening was as always the Singles Final, which was between Jon Townsend of The Black Prince and Eddie Lacey of The Cock Inn. With Jon being in fine form throughout the evening, things were looking bad for Eddie as Jon took the first leg 4-2. However, Eddie hit back to take the second leg 3-2, meaning a last leg shootout was required. This saw Jon set a total of 2, to which Eddie held his nerve to hit the required 3 to take the title.
WINNER: EDDIE LACEY, THE COCK INN
Congratulations to Eddie for becoming the 2016 Single Champion, and to Jon for getting through to the final.
SUPERSTAR OF THE NIGHT
The final trophy of the night was the 'Superstar' trophy, which is awarded to the player that the committee deemed to have been the outstanding player of finals night. This year the award went to Jon Townsend, who was in fine form all night long, particularly with his performance in the Sixers Cup. Well played Jon
THURSDAY 13TH OCTOBER - WEEK 24
This week was our last week of action before finals night, and it was time for the Sixers Cup. As always, it was a good turnout, with 21 of the players who had hit a magical six at some point throughout the season arriving at The Masons Arms for the annual 5 leg shootout. The rules had been slightly tweaked this year, with the player at the top of the sixers table automatically qualifying for the finals night playoff. So, going into this weeks action it was Ray Grant & Roger Goodall who were tied at the top on 6 perfect sixes each, meaning there were four places up for grabs.
It was the expected high quality event, with Jon Townsend on fine form. Jon managed a 6 on the night, which brought him level with Ray & Roger. Can one of these three players hit a big 6 on finals night to secure the new Six Hitter trophy?? As for the other players joining them in the Sixers Cup Playoff, Richard Johnson from Chadlington Sports produced a solid five legs to finish on 18 dolls, along with Dave Gardiner from The George & Dragon, who hit a six on the way to his 18 doll haul. That left us with one last place available, which needless to say went down to a playoff within the playoff! We were left with four players, who were Charlie Buckingham, Dick Walsh, Mick Foreman & Nigel King, who hit a fine pressure six to tie these four players on 17 dolls. Charlie had the honour in this playoff, and set a fine benchmark of a 5. However, Dick managed to tie this 5, with Mick & Nigel just falling short. This ment we required yet more sticks, with Charlie & Dick throwing again for that last spot. Charlie this time set 4, with Dick getting his final stick to score the 5 that was needed. So, the line up for this years Sixers Cup will be:
RAY GRANT
ROGER GOODALL
JON TOWNSEND
RICHARD JOHNSON
DAVE GARDINER
DICK WALSH
Let the best thrower win!
I have attached a picture of the scoreboard below. It's not the best quality, but I'm just experimenting ready for next season and adding more pictures to the website.
Many thanks for all players that supported this event and thanks to Charlie for setting up the throw and making sure all was done for us. Much appriciated Sir
THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER - WEEK 23
This week saw a Division Two title playoff match between the Oxford Yeoman B and The Griffin, who finished tied at the top of the table after all 18 league matches had been completed. It was the Oxford Yeoman that adapted to the chilly conditions the best, with Alan Major in fine form to lead them to the title. Well done to both teams for a good season and for arranging to play this match.
The other action of note this week was the Singles competition, held for the first time indoors at Eynsham Sports & Social Club. It is always a good event, and this year was no different, with some great throwing from many players and good matches to keep the spectators interested. Highlights included great matches between Roger Goodall(12 dolls) & Jeff Glenister(11 dolls), a 1 stick playoff between Dick Walsh & Rob Bradford after both players hit 3 from 3 in the 3 sticker, the 2016 Top Doll scorer Charlie Buckingham showing his quality with solid performances in all of his matches, mind games played by Adie Cooper in his match against Eddie Lacey and the confusion caused by the calling and poor counting of a certain person. The full results are as follows:
ROUND ONE: (WINNING PLAYER IN RED)(SCORES IN BRACKETS)
G LAMBERT (0-3) V J TOWNSEND (1-4)
T BRICE (1-2-4) V D GRANT (4-2-3) (THREE STICKS 1-0)
P TOWNSEND (0-4-2) V J ELEY (3-2-2) (THREE STICKS 1-1, ONE STICK 1-0)
S BAREFIELD (4-1-2) V K GARDINER (2-2-1)
I GRANT (2-3) V L THOMPSON (3-4)
R JOHNSON (4-2-3) V P AUSTIN (3-3-2)
R BRADFORD (4-3) V M BERRY (3-2)
D WALSH (3-3-3) V S BUCKINGHAM (3-1-0)
C PRICE (1-1) V G WILLIAMS (2-2)
P ALLEN (1-3-2) V T NEWBOLD (3-2-2) (THREE STICKS 1-0)
A COOPER (1-3-2) V E LACEY (0-4-3)
M PHIPPS (5-2-5) V R HINCHCLIFFE (0-2-1)
N KING (2-5-3) V H JOHNSON (3-3-4)
R GOODALL (3-4-5) V J GLENISTER (3-4-4)
M FOREMAN (3-3-3) V C BUCKINGHAM (3-4-4)
D GARDINER (1-0) V R GRANT (4-4)
ROUND TWO:
J TOWNSEND (3-1-3) V T BRICE (1-4-0)
P TOWNSEND (0-2) V S BAREFIELD (3-4)
L THOMPSON (3-5-3) V R JOHNSON (3-4-3)
R BRADFORD (4-3-4) V D WALSH (3-4-4) (THREE STICKS 3-3, ONE STICK 0-1)
G WILLIAMS (3-2) V P ALLEN (5-3)
E LACEY (1-4-3) V M PHIPPS (4-2-1)
H JOHNSON (3-4-6) V R GOODALL (1-4-0)
C BUCKINGHAM (4-2-4) V R GRANT (0-3-3)
QUARTER FINALS:
J TOWNSEND (3-4-5) V S BAREFIELD (1-4-0)
L THOMPSON (3-3) V D WALSH (6-4)
P ALLEN (0-3-2) V E LACEY (1-2-3)
H JOHNSON (4-2-3) V C BUCKINGHAM (4-3-3)
So, the line up for the singles semi finals will be:
J TOWNSEND V D WALSH
E LACEY V CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM
Well done to those four players for making it through to finals night, and well done to all players who supported this event
THURSDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER - WEEK 22 - CUP SEMI FINALS
The results and scores of the cup semi finals were as follows:
(WINNING TEAM IN RED)(LEG SCORE IN BRACKETS)
SUPPLEMENTARY CUP
Oxford Yeoman B v Stonesfield SC (6-0)
Woodman Inn v Oxford Yeoman A (???)
KNOCKOUT CUP
George & Dragon A v Black Prince A (0-6)
Black Prince B v Masons Arms A (2-6)
Congratulations to the four sides that have made it through to play at finals night
THURSDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER - WEEK 21 - FOURS COMPETITION
Congratulations to the two winning fours who have made it through to play in the final at finals night. The four from The Masons Arms A, made up of K JOHNSON, D HARRIS, S BUCKINGHAM & P TOWNSEND, will play the four from The George & Dragon A, made up of S BAREFIELD, D GARDINER, K GARDINER & R ADAMS, in what should be a very interesting final.
RESULTS
VENUE ONE - THE BLACK PRINCE
ROUND ONE: (WINNING TEAM IN RED)(LEG SCORE IN BRACKETS)
MASONS ARMS A
(R GRANT, N PRATLEY, B GODWIN & T NEWBOLD)
V
THE BLACK PRINCE B
(H JOHNSON, N KING, M FOREMAN & C PRICE) (3-3, MATCH WON ON 3 STICKS)
THE COCK INN
(S GRANT, A AITKIN, L DAVIES & M AITKIN)
V
MASONS ARMS A
(K JOHNSON, D HARRIS, S BUCKINGHAM & P TOWNSEND) (2-4)
CHADLINGTON SPORTS
(P MORTIMER, T BRICE, R HINCHCLIFFE & R JOHNSON)
V
THE BLACK PRINCE A
(P AUSTIN, D GRANT, M PHIPPS & I GRANT) (4-0)
ENSTONE SPORTS
(M BLAKE, P ALLEN, J ELEY & S DUCKER)
V
BYE
SEMI FINALS:
MASONS ARMS A(RG,NP,BG,TN) V ENSTONE SPORTS(MB,PA,JE,SD) (1-5)
CHADLINGTON SPORTS(PM,TB,RH,RJ) V MASONS ARMS A(KJ,DH,SB,PT) (2-4)
FINAL:
ENSTONE SPORTS(MB,PA,JE,SD) V MASONS ARMS A(KJ,DH,SB,PT) (1-5)
It was a very closly fought battle at The Prince, with 5 of the 6 matches played needing to go to a third, deciding leg. It was The Masons boys that won on the night, and with all four players consistantly throwing well, they derserved their place at finals night. Well done to all that braved the cold and stayed to the bitter end!
VENUE TWO - THE GEORGE & DRAGON
PRELIMINARY ROUND: (WINNING TEAM IN RED)(LEG SCORE IN BRACKETS)
WOODMAN INN
(M FIDLER, P KING, P MILLIN & J BIRCH)
V
STONESFIELD SPORTS
(A FRANKLIN, M BOLTER, S CALLAGHAN & N DORE) (2-4)
GEORGE & DRAGON A
(S BAREFIELD, K GARDINER, D GARDINER & R ADAMS)
V
BLACK PRINCE A
(D WALSH, J TOWNSEND & K POWELL ONLY) (4-0)
SEMI FINALS:
COCK INN
(N GRIFFIN, M LACEY, E LACEY & D EVANS)
V
STONESFIELD SPORTS
(AF,MB,SC,ND) (4-0)
ENSTONE SPORTS
(G WILLIAMS, T HILL, J BLAKE & M ALLEN)
V
GEORGE & DRAGON A
(SB,KG,DG,RA) (1-5)
FINAL:
COCK INN(NG,ML,EL,DE) V GEORGE & DRAGON A(SB,KG,DG,RA) (2-4)
With pre match favorites & holders The Black Prince reduced to three players before the event, it was the team from The George & Dragon that battled through to make a welcome return to performing at finals night after beating the team from The Cock Inn in the deciding leg. Special thanks to the guys at The George, who by all accounts, put on a lovely spread of food to warm everyone up.
Well done to all players and teams that supported this competition!
SIXERS
DEAN HARRIS - MASONS ARMS A
RICHARD JOHNSON - CHADLINGTON SPORTS
THURSDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER - WEEK 20 - TRIPLES COMPETITION
Congratulations to the two triples teams from The Black Prince A,who made it through to play each other in the final of the triples competition. I'm sure there will be plenty of sledging involved during this final!
RESULTS
VENUE ONE - THE COCK INN
ROUND ONE: (WINNING TRIPLE IN RED)(LEG SCORE IN BRACKETS)
C BUCKINGHAM,R GRANT,N PRATLEY V K GARDINER,S BAREFIELD,D GARDINER(5-1)
S GRANT,A ATKIN & D EVANS V J TOWNSEND,R WALSH & K POWELL (0-4)
D HARRIS,B GODWIN,K JOHNSON V P ALLEN,J ELEY,S DUCKER (4-0)
H JOHNSON,C PRICE,M FOREMAN V T BRICE,P MORTIMER, R JOHNSON (0-4)
SEMI FINALS:
C BUCKINGHAM,R GRANT,N PRATLEY V D HARRIS,B GODWIN,K JOHNSON (4-0)
J TOWNSEND,R WALSH, K POWELL V T BRICE,P MORTIMER,R JOHNSON (4-0)
FINAL:
C BUCKINGHAM,R GRANT,N PRATLEY V J TOWNSEND,R WALSH,K POWELL (3-3)
(3 STICK PLAYOFF DRAWN, MATCH WON ON 1 STICK PLAYOFF)
This was the toughest looking of the two venues for the opening rounds of the triples, and it didn't disappoint, with some great scoring and close matches. The 'big two', being The Masons Arms team of Charlie Buckingham, Ray Grant & Neil Pratley, and The Black Prince team of Jon Townsend, Dick Walsh & Keith Powell, managed to avoid each other until the final, and what a final it was! They exchanged doll after doll, and in the end could only be seperated by a 1 stick playoff, with Dick Walsh holding his nerve to hit the winner. Well done to all teams in making this a good night
VENUE TWO - ENSTONE SPORTS
PRELIMINARY ROUND: (WINNING TRIPLE IN RED)(LEG SCORE IN BRACKETS)
S BUCKINGHAM,T NEWBOLD,P TOWNSEND V M FIDLER,K JOHNSON,P MILLIN (4-0)
T DOWNES,A WOOLOFF,R ADAMS V M BENSON,D DUNCAN,R HINCHCLIFFE (4-0)
ROUND ONE:
N KING,A COOPER,R CORNBOROUGH V M ALLEN,M BLAKE,G WILLIAMS (1-5)
P AUSTIN,D GRANT,M PHIPPS V N GRIFFIN,M LACEY,E LACEY (4-2)
T DOWNES,A WOOLOFF,R ADAMS V S BUCKINGHAM,T NEWBOLD,P TOWNSEND (4-2)
R TUDGE,M BOLTER,N DORE V J BIRCH,P JOYNES,R HOLYFIELD (4-0)
SEMI FINALS:
P AUSTIN,D GRANT,M PHIPPS V T DOWNES,A WOOLOFF,R ADAMS (4-0)
R TUDGE,M BOLTER,N DORE V M ALLEN,M BLAKE,G WILLIAMS (4-0)
FINAL:
P AUSTIN,D GRANT,M PHIPPS V R TUDGE,M BOLTER,N DORE(4-0)
The second venue of the evening nearly saw a major upset, with Division Four side Stonesfield Sports getting through to the venue final, only to be out done by Premier Division side The Black Prince. The Stonesfield trio of Rob Tudge, Matt Bolter & Nathan Dore played excellent all evening, and proved to all those teams that don't bother to enter the competitions that anything is possible. Shame on those players sat watching TV instead of entering!!
A big thank you to both venues for hosting these two competitions!
SIXERS
DEAN HARRIS - MASONS ARMS A
JON TOWNSEND - BLACK PRINCE A
RICHARD JOHNSON - CHADLINGTON SPORTS
THURSDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER - WEEK 19 - CUP QUARTER FINALS
This week it was time for the Knockout & Supplementary Cup Quarter final matches, with all teams involved looking to extended their seasons (or maybe looking to put the sticks away in the garage?)
Starting with the Knockout Cup, there was a very impressive home win for The Black Prince B, who entertained new division one champions Enstone Sports, in a match that on paper looked like it would be a close affair. However, after hitting 63 dolls gross over the first three legs, it was The Prince B that won 6-0 and moved into the semi finals. They will play The Masons Arms A, who made the tough trip to Chadlington Sports in another tricky looking contest. The Masons A were on song though, and came away with a 6-0 win. In the bottom half of the draw, The Cock Inn could only get 5 players against The George & Dragon A, yet in a match that went one way and then another, it was The George that won the last leg decider to progress, with anchor man Dave Gardiner hitting the 2 dolls required to win the match 6-4. It must of been entertaining for the crowd! The Black Prince A will be thier opponents in the semi final after they won 6-2 away at a spirited Three Horseshoes and continued thier unbeaten cup form, which stretches back over 3 years.
In the Supplementary Cup, The Masons Arms B hosted The Oxford Yeoman B, and both teams put up a fierce battle in a match that ended up going the distance. It was however The Yeoman B who just squeezed through, winning the match 6-4. They will play Stonesfield SC in the semi, after they picked up a comfortable 6-0 win away at Burditch Hall. The the bottom half of the draw, division three champions The Woodman Inn progressed after a 6-2 win at home over The George & Dragon B. The final semi final spot is yet to be decided, with the fixture between the Oxford Yeoman A and The Killingworth Castle being played next wee.
SIXERS
HENRY JOHNSON & CHRIS PRICE - BOTH BLACK PRINCE B
TOM O'NEILL - MASONS ARMS B
THURSDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER - WEEK 18
No card received from Three Horseshoes v Hanborough SC
So, the league format of the 2016 came to an end this week, apart from a couple of outstanding fixtures which will hopefully be played over the coming weeks. It was time for a celebration for some teams, whilst others were left cryin'.
In the top sections, it was Enstone Sports who reached the dizzy heights of top spot in division one, after securing the required 5 points at home against The George & Dragon A. Enstone started like a bat out of hell and wrapped things up after the first three legs, but must of then got the party started early as they lost the final two legs to end the match 5-5. Nearest rivals The Cock Inn went into thier away match against The Black Prince B knowing that they needed a clean sweep to stand a chance of the title, but had to settle for a 5-5 draw in a match that swung one way and then the other, with the final leg decider ending in a tie. There was yet another drawn match between The Masons Arms and The Queens Head, which also had a last leg decider. The Masons were leading 5-3 going into the last leg, but had to settle for the draw after The Queens nicked the leg by a single doll. There was some excellent throwing from both sides, in particular from Jeff Glenister, who claimed a superb 24 dolls (4-5-4-6-5). The one and only Charlie Buckingham secured the top doll trophy, and must be crongratulated on a outstanding season. In the final match, The Black Prince A won a tight match 6-4 away at Chadlington Sports to end the league format of the season, with both teams now left to prey for a good run in the competitions.
In the lower sections, it was a busy week as there were 3 rearranged matches on top of the 5 standard fixtures. The busiest team were The Woodman Inn, who managed to play 3 matches to come from behind and pick up the division three title.They started the week off with a 6-4 away win over Stonesfield SC, then had another away win, this time 10-0 at The White Hart, and then finished the season off with yet another away fixture at The Killingworth Castle, which ended in a 5-5 draw. Previous leaders The Oxford Yeoman A slipped up in their final match, losing 6-4 at home against The Griffin. This result for The Griffin means that they just about have chance of the division two title, but that depends on the outcome of their outstanding fixture against The White Hart, which they will need to win 10-0 to pip The Oxford Yeoman B by a single point. The Yeoman B finished thier campaign with a 7-3 away win over The Killingworth to hold hope for the title to come their way. The George & Dragon B obviously put away the cigarettes & alcohol, as they recorded 2 wins. The first one was a rearranged match away at The Oxford Yeoman A, which they held on to win 6-4, and the other was also a 6-4 win, this time at home against The Masons Arms B.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 19 DOLLS
CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - MASONS ARMS A
RICHARD JOHNSON - CHADLINGTON SPORTS
JON TOWNSEND - BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 24 DOLLS
JEFF GLENISTER - QUEENS HEAD
DIVISION TWO - 15 DOLLS
TOM O'NEILL - MASONS ARMS B
DIVISION THREE - 14 DOLLS
JAMES BATEMAN - KILLINGWORTH CASTLE (TWICE)
ROB TUDGE - STONESFIELD SC
PETE MILLIN - WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
JEFF GLENISTER & MICK BERRY - BOTH QUEENS HEAD
ROB TUDGE - STONESFIELD SC
THURSDAY 25TH AUGUST - WEEK 17
Well, what an interesting week, with the penultimate round of league fixtures throwing up some very interesting results.
Starting off in the top sections, The Black Prince A retained thier Premier division crown after gaining the required points in thier very local derby against The Black Prince B, winning the match 8-2. Nearest rivals The Masons Arms A again came up against some inspired throwing, this week from The George & Dragon A. It seems everyone tries harder when they play The Masons! The opening three legs ended in draws, with great anchor man scoring from both Dave Gardiner & Charlie Buckingham. The Mason took the fourth leg to gain the advantage, however The George snatched the last leg to tie the match 5-5. There was a massive match in division one between The Cock Inn and Enstone Sports, where going into it The Cock held a narrow 3 point lead at the top of the table. However, Enstone produced a quality performance to shock the leaders and win 10-0. The match was the close battle that was expected, but with Enstone's opening two throwers Martin Allen & Paul Allen producing thier personal best performances of the season, and the team producing thier best overall score of the season, it was Enstone that moved to the top of the table. The Cock did have chance to hit straight back, with their rearranged match against Chadlington Sports taking place the following evening. However, they seemed to be suffering after the defeat the previous night, losing this match 9-1, to cap of a dissappointing week. Chadlington had won thier match the previous night, winning 10-0 away at the Three Horseshoes, so made it a nice 19 point haul for the week. In the other top section match of the week, Hanborough SC returned to top form to record an impressive 8-2 away win over The Queens Head.
In the lower sections, the Yeoman A & B played eachother twice, fitting in their rearranged game from earlier in the season. Both matches ended in 6-4 wins for the away team, so overall points being 10 each, so no bragging rights claimed from either side! I feel a house cup is needed!! These points gained strengthened both sides place at the top of their tables with just one round of fixtures to go, but don't forget the cruicial outstanding matches! The Griffin continue to be right in the hunt for the division two title, winning at home 8-2 over a Stonesfield SC side that played a man short. The Woodman produced their best performance of the season so far in beating The George & Dragon B 10-0, whilst The White Hart picked up their second win of the season, winning 8-2 away at The Burditch.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS
CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - MASONS ARMS A
DIVISION ONE - 21 DOLLS
GARY CHAMBERLAIN - THREE HORSESHOES
DIVISION TWO - 16 DOLLS
STEVE BOTCHERBY - OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 16 DOLLS
KEVIN JOHNSON - WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
DAVE GARDINER - GEORGE & DRAGON A
CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - MASONS ARMS A
THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST - WEEK 16
Postponed match between The Killingworth Castle v Woodman Inn
Oxford Yeoman A late card so not mentioned below (again!!)
There more important games played this, resulting in some very interesting results and the chase for the league titles hots up.
In the top sections, the division one title surely must be going down to a final week decider. As it stands, The Cock Inn hold a slender 3 point advantage over the in form Enstone Sports, with The Queens Head lurking in 3rd place and still not out of the running. The Cock Inn visited The George & Dragon this week, and were on the ropes after losing the opening two legs. However, they hit back to take the next two legs forcing a last leg decider, which ended in a tie and a match result of 5-5. Second placed Enstone Sports hosted The Black Prince A and also had a last leg decider, which they claimed after a 6 from George Williams and then anchor man Steve Ducker winning the match with his final stick, resulting in a 6-4 home win. Third placed Queens Head made the trip over to Chadlington Sports and came away with an impressive 8-2 victory after a consistent team performance, particularly from their opening two throwers Lee Thompson & 'Chuck' Berry, who scored 37 dolls between them. The Masons Arms A were at home against Hanborough SC, and yet again had to be on top form to come out 8-2 winners, helped with a seasons best 21 dolls from Kevin Johnson, which included a 6. In the final match of these sections, The Three Horseshoes produced a spirited performance away at The Black Prince B, taking the match to a last leg decider. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to claim this leg and ended up going down 6-4.
In the lower sections, the battle for the division two title remains as tight as Arsene Wenger's purse strings. The Oxford Yeoman B hold a two point advantage over The Griffin, but with the deadline looming to play their outstanding matches anything is still possible. This week, The Griffin made the journey out to play The Burditch, and produced a strong team performance to record a 9-1 win. However, their joy was short lived as The Oxford Yeoman B just about held on away at Stonesfield SC to win 10-0. The Yeoman eased to the first three legs, but needed anchor man Trevor Johnson to do the hard work in the final two legs to win each leg by a single doll. There was a much needed 8-2 away victory for The George & Dragon B over The White Hart, but with there being only a single doll seperating both teams overall score it was a match that could of gone either way. The final match of the week was a rearranged match, where The Woodman Inn made the 50 yard trip up the road to visit The Masons Arms B. It was a good team effort from The Masons, as they dented The Woodman's title hopes by winning 7-3. Well done to both these teams for arranging to play this match.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS
KEVIN JOHNSON - MASONS ARMS A
DIVISION ONE - 20 DOLLS
GEORGE WILLIAMS - ENSTONE SPORTS
DIVISION TWO - 15 DOLLS
ASHLEY KEENAN - MASONS ARMS B
RAY BARSON - THE GRIFFIN
DIVISION THREE - 10 DOLLS
MARK BOWERMAN & RYAN HUNT - BOTH GEORGE & DRAGON B
SIXERS
GEORGE WILLIAMS - ENSTONE SPORTS
LEE THOMPSON - QUEENS HEAD
KEVIN JOHNSON - MASONS ARMS A
THURSDAY 11TH AUGUST - WEEK 15
The nights are drawing in, and so is the end of the season. Not long left now folks.
In the lower sections this week, The Woodman Inn and The Oxford Yeoman A played off at the top of division three, with both teams knowing that a big victory would be a massive result in the chase for the title. It was the Yeoman that were in front 4-2 after 3 legs, but The Woodman hit back in the remaining legs to ensure that the points were shared 5-5. This result gave The Killingworth Castle the opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the table, which they did with a solid 6-4 away win at The George & Dragon B. The Masons Arms B produced their best performance of the season so far, with all players chipping in with important dolls to secure a 10-0 home win over Stonesfield SC. In the race for the division two title, The Oxford Yeoman B recorded a 8-2 home win over Burditch Hall, which gives them a 1 point lead at the top over The Griffin, who won 7-3 over The White Hart.
In the top sections, there was a mighty battle at The Cock Inn, who hosted The Masons Arms A, as both teams hit 151 dolls between them. It was 4 each going into the final leg when The Masons set a mighty 25, which The Cock were unable to chase down, meaning The Masons took the match 6-4. There was another last leg decider between The Black Prince A and The George & Dragon A, which resulted in The Prince just about doing enough to win 6-4. There was another seasons best so far by Chadlington Sports, who picked an impressive 10-0 away win at Hanborough SC, who must of been confused as to how they lost all the legs despite playing well. Enstone Sports also recorded a 10-0 away victory over The Three Horseshoes to move right in the mix of the division one title, which is looking like it will go down to the final round of matches. In the evenings final match, there was another strong away performance by The Black Prince B, who won 8-2 away at The Queens Head.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 22 DOLLS
CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - THE MASONS ARMS A
DIVISION ONE - 17 DOLLS
JEFF GLENISTER - QUEENS HEAD
NICK GRIFFIN - THE COCK INN
GARY CHAMBERLAIN - THREE HORSESHOES
DIVISION TWO - 14 DOLLS
DAVE BEHAN & ALAN MAJOR - BOTH OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 17 DOLLS
PETE KING - WOODMAN INN
SIXER
NEIL PRATLEY - THE MASONS ARMS A
OUTSTANDING FIXTURES
CAN ALL TEAMS PLEASE NOTE THE INFORMATION FOUND ON THE HOME PAGE REGARDING THE OUTSTANDING FIXTURES FOR THE LEAGUE FORMAT.
THURSDAY 4TH AUGUST - WEEK 14
Postponed match between Stonesfield SC v Woodman Inn
It was a fine evening for sticks this week, although the hand warmers were out in force as it is certainly getting chilly as the nights are now drawing in.
In the top sections this week, there were strong performances from the sides with home advantage. The highlight was an excellent 9-1 win by Enstone Sports over The Queens Head to maintain their late surge up the division one table. After setting in each leg, The Queens found the Enstone tail of Jason Eley & Steve Ducker in top form as they chased down the required scores to secure the points. Also recording a home victory was The Black Prince B, who ran out 9-1 winners over an under strength Hanborough SC after a good team effort with all players chipping in with dolls. The George & Dragon A returned to form with a solid 8-2 win over neighbours The Three Horseshoes in the Hanborough derby, although The Shoes did manage to win only their 3rd leg of the season by taking the final leg of the night. The Masons Arms A kept alive thier title chances by beating visitors Chadlington Sports 7-3, although they will be disappointed to lose the final leg in what was otherwise a comfortable win, which included yet another six from Ray Grant and another solid performance from the top doll leader Charlie Buckingham. The final match saw the only away victory, with The Black Prince A winning at The Cock Inn 6-4 in a closely contested fixture.
In the lower sections, The Oxford Yeoman A produced their best performance of the season by some way after hitting a gross score of 78 dolls on thier way to a 10-0 home win over The George & Dragon B. However, it wasn't all good news in the pub as The Oxford Yeoman B suffered their second successive defeat after going down 6-4 away at The Griffin, a result which means both teams are now tied at the top of the division two table with only a couple of games to go. The Burditch Hall put thier recent struggles behind them to record a good 7-3 home win over The Masons Arms B after taking the final leg to run out victors in a close match and in the final match of the week, The Killingworth Castle moved to the top of the division three table after winning 9-1 away at The White Hart.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS
KEITH POWELL - THE BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 19 DOLLS
JASON ELEY - ENSTONE SPORTS
DAVE GARDINER - GEORGE & DRAGON A
DIVISION TWO - 16 DOLLS
RAY BARSON - THE GRIFFIN
DIVISION THREE - 14 DOLLS
JAMES BATEMAN - KILLINGWORTH CASTLE
SIXERS
DAVE GARDINER - GEORGE & DRAGON A
JASON ELEY - ENSTONE SPORTS
RAY GRANT - THE MASONS ARMS A
CHRIS PRICE - THE BLACK PRINCE B
KEITH POWELL - THE BLACK PRINCE A
THURSDAY 28TH JULY - WEEK 13
Missing card from Killingworth Castle v Oxford Yeoman A
So another week goes by with the end of the season getting closer and closer, with all sections still having something to play for.
Starting off in the lower sections this week, division three side The White Hart caused a huge upset to record their first victory of the season after winning 7-3 away at division two leaders the Oxford Yeoman B. The match was tied at 3 points each after three legs, but The White Hart managed to snatch the final two legs to win the match. It just goes to show that there is no such thing as an easy fixture in The Wychwood League! Well done The White Hart! In the other matches in the lower sections, The Griffin boosted their chances of the division two title whilst denting the chances of The Masons Arms B by recording a 10-0 win away from home in a match that could of gone either way. Stonesfield SC made it six weeks unbeaten by winning 8-2 away at The George & Dragon B to keep in the hunt for the division three title, whilst The Woodman cruised to a comfortable 10-0 home win against a severly understrength Burditch Hall, who although failed to pick up any points, should be congratulated for not postponing the fixture.
In the top sections, The Black Prince A hosted nearest rivals The Masons Arms A in a match that both teams could not afford to lose, so it came as little surprise that it finished as a 5-5 draw. It was a match to went one way and then the other, with The Masons winning the first 2 legs, then The Black Prince hitting back to win the next two legs to tie the match, which included the anchormans 'dream' from Keith Powell of hitting a six to win. The last leg decider looked to be going the wayof The Masons, but The Prince held on to secure the draw. Hanborough SC hosted Enstone Sports, with both teams knowing how important a win would be to keep up the pressure in the division one title race. The match was tied at 3 points each after 3 legs, but it was Enstone who managed to pick up the win after gaining 3 more points in the final 2 legs to win the match 6-4 after scoring just one more doll than their opponents. There was another very close match between The Queens Head and The George & Dragon A, where there was a strong team display from The Queens to pick up a vital 7-3 home win, which proved even more important after The Cock Inn picked up the expected 10 points with an away win at The Three Horseshoes. In the final match, The Black Prince B made the trip out to Chadlington Sports and produced a solid team effort to record an 8-2 win and consolidate their position in the premier section.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 22 DOLLS
KEITH POWELL - THE BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 18 DOLLS
GARY CHAMBERLAIN - THE THREE HORSESHOES
DIVISION TWO - 15 DOLLS
DAVE BEHAN - OXFORD YEOMAN B
RAY BARSON - THE GRIFFIN
DIVISION THREE - 15 DOLLS
NATHAN DORE - STONESFIELD SC
SIXERS
STEVE DUCKER - ENSTONE SPORTS
ROGER PICKETT - GEORGE & DRAGON A
HENRY JOHNSON - BLACK PRINCE B
JON TOWNSEND & KEITH POWELL - BOTH BLACK PRINCE A
SIX MATCHES TO GO......
I thought I would do a quick review of how each division is looking now that we are entering what the call the 'business' end of the season.
PREMIER SECTION
The Black Prince A seem to have a decent lead going into the final stages of the season, but with some tricky looking fixtures to play don't be surprised if The Masons Arms A close the gap and take it down to the last couple of matches. The Black Prince B look comfortable in 3rd place, but they are only 11 points in front of Chadlington Sports, who have a game in hand, so it looks like it's still all to play for with every team looking to move up the table.
DIVISION ONE
At the point of writing this, it looks like this division is going to go down to the final matches of the season. The Cock Inn and The Queens Head are battling at the top at the moment and are only separated by 2 points, but don't discount Hanborough SC, Enstone Sports or even The George & Dragon A to put a late run together and take the title. The top five sides are only 17 points apart, which might sound a lot, but with 10 points on offer each match, nothing can be taken for granted.
DIVISION TWO
This division looks like a straight shootout between The Oxford Yeoman B and The Masons Arms B, with The Yeoman having a 4 point lead and a game in hand. However, with The Yeoman being 4-0 behind in their rain affected outstanding match, it would not take much for The Masons to claw the gap back and take over at the top. The Griffin should also not be counted out just yet as they are only 9 points from the top, and look like they are finishing the season strongly, so could quite easily get themselves in the running for the title. The much changed Burditch Hall side now seem to be settling down, and although it might be too late to avoid another relegation, it is pleasing to see that they are putting up a fight in each match and have added players to keep the team together. Well done Burditch
DIVISION THREE
This is another division that looks like it is going to go down to the final games of the season, with just 11 points separating the top 4 teams. The Killingworth Castle hold the advantage at this moment in time with a 6 point lead over The Woodman Inn, who do still have a game in hand. Stonesfield SC are sitting in 3rd, and with a strong finish to the season can certainly snatch the title from the above two teams. The other side still in the title hunt are The Oxford Yeoman A, who with a game in hand and a missing card, could be even closer to the top of the table and are more than good enough to make a late claim for the title. The George & Dragon B look like they are certain to secure 5th spot in this division, unless the beer taps run dry and they can go on a run of big wins to move up the table. The final shout out must go to The White Hart, who although are having a difficult season, I want to congratulate for continuing to produce a side every week and, fingers crossed, will pick up a couple of wins before the season is over.
And there we have it. I hope you enjoyed my little review of our great league as it enters the final stages of the league format. I write it as I see it, and certainly don't intend on upsetting anyone, so please don't take offence! It seems to me that, with a couple of exceptions, we as a committee have gotten the handicaps spot on this season, with the matches being close every single week. We hope you all agree, and if not, please come along to our next committee meeting and have your say! With the league format nearing it's end, I would like to remind you that the competitions are still to be played, so lets keep going and have a strong end to the season.
Good luck to all players and teams!!
THURSDAY 21ST JULY - WEEK 12
Missing card from White Hart v Oxford Yeoman A
That didn't last long! Late/missing cards this week, hence the delay! What can I do??
So we appear to be in the middle of a heat wave, yet come 8 o'clock on Thursday evening what happens? Drizzle!! Unbelievable! At least it didn't last long
In the top sections this week, there was a top of the table clash in Division One between hosts The Cock Inn and visitors The Queens Head. With The Queens suffering a heavy defeat the previous week, they knew that they had to perform to stay within touching distance of leaders The Cock Inn. And perform they did, by hitting a gross score of 103 dolls to record a 8-2 victory and close the gap to just 2 points. Hanborough SC are also still in the title hunt, although they have played one extra match. This week they won the 'Hanborough Derby' by winning 8-2 away at The George & Dragon A. Dark horses for the title are Enstone Sports, who are now only 11 behind the leaders. This gap could of been even smaller, as they hosted Chadlington Sports this week and won the opening 3 legs, only for the chaps from Chad to hit back and win the final 2 legs, resulting in a 6-4 win for Enstone. There was an extremely tight all Premier Section match in North Leigh between The Masons Arms A and The Black Prince B, with both teams hitting 85 dolls in total. This would suggest a draw, but it was in fact The Black Prince B that hit the crucial dolls at the right times to come out 6-4 winners. The final match saw an improved performance from basement side the Three Horseshoes, but it still resulted in a 10-0 defeat away at The Black Prince A.
In the lower sections, The George & Dragon B experimented with a new warm up idea of having a kick around with a football instead of thier normal 'liquid' warm up as they visited Burditch Hall, and it seemed to work wonders as they ran out 10-0 winners. I wonder if any other teams are going to follow their lead and try a bit of exercise before a match?? Hmm, maybe not! There was a top of the table clash in Division One, with The Oxford Yeoman B hosting The Masons Arms B. The Masons got off to a great start, leading 5-1 after 3 legs, but The Yeoman hit back to win the remaining 2 legs to secure a 5-5 draw and keep the gap at the top of the table to 4 points. There was also another 5-5 draw this week between Division Three title contenders Stonesfield SC and The Killingworth Castle, with The Killingworth taking the last leg the share the points. In the final match that I can report on, The Woodman Inn continued with their excellent run of form by winning 6-4 away at The Griffin after taking the last leg decider to secure the points.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 20 DOLLS
NIGEL KING - BLACK PRINCE B
DIVISION ONE - 19 DOLLS
LEE THOMPSON & JEFF GLENISTER - BOTH QUEENS HEAD
DIVISION TWO - 14 DOLLS
STEVE BOTCHERBY - OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 16 DOLLS
PETE KING - WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
HENRY JOHNSON - BLACK PRINCE B
JEFF GLENISTER - QUEENS HEAD
THURSDAY 14TH JULY - WEEK 11
All cards received by Monday afternoon! Big thanks captains!
Starting off in the lower sections, and this week was the battle of Castle Road in Wootton, with The Killingworth Castle hosting near nieghbours Burditch Hall. In what was a close match, The Killingworth managed to earn the village bragging rights after recording a 6-4 win. The Griffin produced their best performance of the season so far to win 9-1 away at The George & Dragon B, whilst there was also a good 6-4 away win for the Oxford Yeoman B at The Woodman in a very close match. The Masons Arms B put in a strong team effort at home to win 7-3 over The White Hart, and the final match was between the Oxford Yeoman A and Stonesfield SC, where the last leg decider ended in a draw to see the point shared 5-5.
In the top sections, Premier side Chadlington Sports hit back after losing the opening leg to go on and record a very good 8-2 win at home over the George & Dragon A, whilst The Cock Inn looked to be back to their best after an impressive 8-2 away win over Hanborough SC. After being 4-2 down from 3 legs, Enstone Sports battled back to secure a good 5-5 draw away at The Black Prince B. There was no advantage gained by either of the Premier Section title contenders, with the The Masons Arms A winning 10-0 away at The Three Horseshoes and The Black Prince A also recording a good 10-0 win away at an under strength Queens Head.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 22 DOLLS
DICK WALSH - BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 19 DOLLS
GEORGE WILLIAMS - ENSTONE SPORTS
DIVISION TWO - 17 DOLLS
ANDY MOTT - MASONS ARMS B
DIVISION THREE - 15 DOLLS
PETE KING - WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
ROGER GOODALL - BLACK PRINCE A
THURSDAY 7TH JULY - PAIRS COMPETITION
Congratulations to the pair of Lee Thompson & Jeff Glenister, and the pair of Roger Goodall and Keith Powell, who won at each venue to go through to play in what should be a great final at finals night.
RESULTS
VENUE ONE - WOODMAN INN
ROUND ONE: (WINNING PAIR IN RED)
R GRANT & B GODWIN V R TUDGE & N DORE
C PRICE & P GRANT V N GRIFFIN & D EVANS
D GARDINER & K GARDINER V A COOPER & R CORNBOROUGH
G WILLIAMS & S DUCKER V S GRANT & A AITKIN
D HARRIS & K JOHNSON V A TRINDER & R BUNCE
L THOMPSON & J GLENISTER V A WOOLLOFF & T DOWNES
M FIDLER & P KING V D GRANT & I GRANT
M BERRY & P HODSDON (BYE)
ROUND TWO:
R GRANT & B GODWIN V C PRICE & P GRANT
D GARDINER & K GARDINER V G WILLIAMS & S DUCKER
D HARRIS & K JOHNSON V L THOMPSON & J GLENISTER
D GRANT & I GRANT V M BERRY & P HODSDON
SEMI FINALS:
C PRICE & P GRANT V D GARDINER & K GARDINER
L THOMPSON & J GLENISTER V M BERRY & P HODSDON
FINAL:
D GARDINER & K GARDINER V L THOMPSON & J GLENISTER
VENUE TWO - MASONS ARMS
ROUND ONE:
K JOHNSON & J BIRCH V P MORTIMER & T BRICE
M ALLEN & M BLAKE V S BUCKINGHAM & P TOWNSEND
R GOODALL & K POWELL V J ELEY & P ALLEN
E LACEY & M LACEY V R ADAMS & G LAMBERT
V HILL & T NEWBOLD V R HINCHCLIFFE & R JOHNSON
M FOREMAN & B HALL (BYE)
M PHIPPS & P AUSTIN V P JOYNES & P MILLIN
J TOWNSEND & D WALSH V C BUCKINGHAM & N PRATLEY
ROUND TWO:
R GOODALL & K POWELL V P MORTIMER & T BRICE
M FOREMAN & B HALL V S BUCKINGHAM & P TOWNSEND
J TOWNSEND & D WALSH V M PHIPPS & P AUSTIN
R HINCHCLIFFE & R JOHNSON V R ADAMS & G LAMBERT
SEMI FINALS:
J TOWNSEND & D WALSH V R HINCHCLIFFE & R JOHNSON
S BUCKINGHAM & P TOWNSEND V R GOODALL & K POWELL
FINAL:
J TOWNSEND & D WALSH V R GOODALL & K POWELL
SIXERS
JON TOWNSEND X 2
DICK WALSH
ROGER GOODALL
Overall, it was another good night of sticks, with some good throwing and some close matches. Thankyou and well done to both hosting venues, players and spectators for supporting this competition
THURSDAY 30TH JUNE
With the return fixtures taking place, there was lots of throwing going on with some teams playing more than the standard five legs to catch up on the cancelled matches from week one.
In the top sections, Hanborough SC upset the form guide to inflict the second defeat of the season to Black Prince A. After trailing 2-1 halfway through, Hanborough hit back with a mighty leg of 29 (including sixes from Martyn Oliver & Jamie Berry) to draw level and then left it to the final stick of the match to win the final leg and the match 6-4. The Masons Arms A took advantage of the defeat of The Black Prince A by defeating an under strength Enstone Sports 8-2 to close the gap at the top of the table, whilst The Black Prince B consolidated thier position in the table by securing a 8-2 home win over The George & Dragon A. The race for the Division One title is hotting up, with The Queens Head now joining The Cock Inn at the top of the table after a solid 10-0 over The Three Horseshoes. Previous leaders The Cock Inn were defeated 6-4 away by an impressive Chadlington Sports.
In the lower sections, both Divisions are looking tight and many teams are in the running to claim the titles. In Division One, The Oxford Yeoman B hold the advantage after winning 6-4 away The George & Dragon B, whilst second place side Burditch Hall lost ground after a 8-2 defeat away at The Oxford Yeoman A. The Griffin recorded a good away performance to win 6-4 at The Killingworth Castle to keep within touching distance of the top, and The Masons Arms B are still not out of the running, even though they lost the North Leigh Derby, going down 6-4 after the long journey to The Woodman. In the remaining fixture of the evening, Stonesfield SC kept pace with the leaders of Division Three after winning away at The White Hart 6-4 in a very close match.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 20 DOLLS
JON TOWNSEND & DICK WALSH-BOTH BLACK PRINCE A
RICHARD JOHNSON-CHADLINGTON SPORTS
DIVISION ONE - 15 DOLLS
MICK BERRY-QUEENS HEAD
JAMIE BERRY-HANBOROUGH SC
DIVISION TWO - 13 DOLLS
STEVE BOTCHERBY,OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 16 DOLLS
PETE KING,WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
MARTYN OLIVER & JAMIE BERRY - BOTH HANBOROUGH SC
ROGER GOODALL - BLACK PRINCE A
RICHARD JOHNSON - CHADLINGTON SPORTS
RAY GRANT - MASONS ARMS A
THURSDAY 23RD JUNE
Missing card from Killingworth Castle v Oxford Yeoman B
So we reach the halfway point and it seems to me that the second half of the season is going to be very interesting!
In the lower sections, there was the first six of the season, scored by Goff Jones of The Griffin. That score helped The Griffin to a 7-3 win at home against the Oxford Yeoman A. New boys The Woodman Inn took over at the top of Division Three after a narrow 7-3 win at home over The White Hart, whilst the other new boys Stonesfield SC continued to climb the table after winning 7-3 away at Burditch Hall. In Division Two, The Masons Arms B came from behind to record a good 8-2 victory at home against an off form George & Dragon B.
In the top sections, The Black Prince A took over at the top of The Premier Division after a hard fought 10-0 win at home over Chadlington Sports, which saw Jon Townsend impress with 25 dolls. They replaced The Masons Arms A at the top of the table after The Queens Head came from 3-0 down to win 7-3 against the previous leaders. The Cock Inn maintained their postition at the top of Division One after winning at home 8-2 over The Black Prince B, whilst The George & Dragon A finally hit top form by beating Enstone Sports 6-4 at home in a very close encounter. The final game saw Hanborough SC keep in touch with with the top sides by winning 10-0 away at the Three Horseshoes.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 25 DOLLS, JON TOWNSEND-BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 22 DOLLS, LEE THOMPSON-QUEENS HEAD
DIVISION TWO - 16 DOLLS, TOM O'NEIL-MASONS ARMS B
DIVISION THREE - 13 DOLLS, PETE KING-WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
LEE THOMPSON - QUEENS HEAD
CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - MASONS ARMS A
GOFF JONES - GRIFFIN
THURSDAY 16TH JUNE
Cancelled match between Oxford Yeoman A v Oxford Yeoman B
Despite the constant drizzle, the final round of matches in the first half of the season produced some interesting results and some great scoring. The highest scoring match of the week was the battle of the Prince, where the B team 'hosted' the A team. There was an impressive 212 dolls scored, with the B team very unlucky to lose 10-0. The top two in Division One, The Cock Inn & Enstone Sports, faced each other for the right to be top a halfway. The Cock Inn came out of the traps the quickest and won the first three legs, but Enstone hit back to win the final two legs to limit the damage and get away with a 6-4 defeat. With that defeat, The Queens Head moved above Enstone in the table after another good win, this time 8-2 away at Hanborough SC. The Three Horseshoes recorded their best result of the season, but are still looking for their first win of the season after Chadlington Sports won the final leg to gain a 6-4 home win and The Masons Arms A showed that they are ready for a title fight with an impressive 8-2 home win against The George & Dragon A.
In the lower sections, there were some big winners. The Burditch Hall had a clean sweep with a 10-0 win away at the struggling White Hart and The Woodman also claimed all 10 points against a wobbling George & Dragon B. In the other match, between Stonesfield SC & The Griffin, the points were shared 5-5 in a very close match which saw Stonesfield come from behind and win the final leg to secure the draw.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 24 DOLLS, CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM-MASONS ARMS A &
JON TOWNSEND-BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 21 DOLLS, DAVE GARDENER-GEORGE & DRAGON A
DIVISION TWO - 13 DOLLS, IAN CALLCUT-THE GRIFFIN
DIVISION THREE - 13 DOLLS, PETE KING-WOODMAN INN &
NATHAN DORE-STONESFIELD SC
SIXERS
RAY GRANT & CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - BOTH MASONS ARMS A
DARREN GRANT & DICK WALSH - BOTH BLACK PRINCE A
MICK BERRY - QUEENS HEAD
THURSDAY 9TH JUNE
Cancelled match between George & Dragon B v White Hart
Sorry for the late report! My mini holiday and some confusion over cards has delayed me a touch.
Anyway, The fight for top spot in Division One is hotting up. The Cock Inn are top at the moment after a 7-3 home win over The George & Dragon, whilst Enstone Sports slipped up after losing 8-2 away against an in form Black Prince A, who had a very impressive opening leg of 30 dolls. The Queens Head continue to lead the chasing pack after a 6-4 home win against Chadlington Sports and Hanborough SC secured an excellent 6-4 home win over Premier leaders The Masons Arms A in what looked like a very tight match. In the other top section match, The Black Prince B had a comfortable 10-0 win away at The Three Horseshoes.
In the lower sections, The Oxford Yeoman A recorded their third consecutive 5-5 draw, with this time an under-strength Masons Arms B putting up an excellent fight to share the points. There were good home wins for The Griffin, who beat Burditch Hall 6-4, and The Oxford Yeoman B, who beat Stonesfield SC 8-2. The only away victory came from The Killingworth Castle, who came from behind to win 6-4 at The Woodman and maintain their unbeaten record.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 25 DOLLS, ROGER GOODALL-BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 19 DOLLS, STEVE DUCKER-ENSTONE SPORTS & LEE THOMPSON-QUEENS HEAD
DIVISION TWO - 14 DOLLS, BRIAN PAYNE-GRIFFIN &
DAVE BEHAN-OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 15 DOLLS, PETE KING-WOODMAN
SIXERS
ROGER GOODALL x 2 - BLACK PRINCE A
ROB BRADFORD - BLACK PRINCE A
LEE THOMPSON - QUEENS HEAD
RAY GRANT & CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM - BOTH MASONS ARMS A
THURSDAY 2ND JUNE
Missing card from The Griffin v White Hart
Cancelled match between Enstone Sports v Three Horseshoes
We were blessed with another fine night of weather for round six in this season's league format
In the lower sections, The Oxford Yeoman B moved further ahead at the top of section two after a very tight 8-2 win away at The Burditch Hall, whilst The Killingworth Castle managed to record a narrow 7-3 win at home against The George & Dragon B to maintain their position as the early pace setters in section three. The Masons Arms B produced the best result of the week with a solid all round performance to secure a 10-0 victory away at Stonesfield SC, and there was nothing to choose between The Oxford Yeoman A and The Woodman, who battled out a 5-5 draw to share the points
In the top sections, all matches were very close. The Black Prince B produced a strong performance to beat the in form Queens Head 6-4, and The Masons Arms A recorded what could be a vital 6-4 win over the other in form side, The Cock Inn. There was a high scoring match between The George & Dragon A & The Black Prince A, with the away team coming away with a 8-2 win in a match that could of gone either way. The final match of the week saw Chadlington Sports host Hanborough SC, and there was nothing between the sides as they battled out a 5-5 draw.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 19 DOLLS, ROGER GOODALL & DARREN GRANT-BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 18 DOLLS, ADRIAN RICHMOND-GEORGE & DRAGON A
DIVISION TWO - 15 DOLLS, ANDY MOTT-MASONS ARMS B
DIVISION THREE - 15 DOLLS, RICHARD BUNCE-WOODMAN INN
SIXER
NIGEL KING - BLACK PRINCE B
THURSDAY 26TH MAY
What a week!!
Firstly, all scorecards had arrived by Sunday! Thank you teams, it really does help in keeping this website up to date.
As for the stick throwing, there were some very special performances this week which really do deserve a mention. We will start with The Cock Inn, who ended The Black Prince A's two year undefeated record with a fantastic 6-4 win away from home. The match was tied at two legs each, and with The Cock chasing 19 in the deciding leg, they punished the doll with an excellent total of 28 gross, including sixes from both Nick Griffin & Dave Evans. There was another very impressive performance from Enstone Sports, who recorded a mighty 8-2 win away at The Queens Head, and had three different players recording the magic six(See Below).
There were away victories in all of the the remaining fixtures in the top sections. The Masons Arms A continued to lead the way with another excellent victory at Chadlington Sports, The Black Prince B produced a strong looking win at Hanborough SC and finally The George & Dragon A picked up all of the points against an improving Three Horseshoes.
In the lower sections, The Killingworth Castle picked up another win to move to the top of Division Three, beating The White Hart 10-0, with the previous league leaders The Oxford Yeoman A dropping to second place after being held to a 5-5 draw away at The George & Dragon B. In the match between the two new sides in our league, The Woodman Inn won 6-4 at home against Stonesfield SC to continue to climb the table. The four Divison Two sides played eachother in the remaining matches, with The Oxford Yeoman B beating The Griffin 8-2 and The Burditch Hall picking up their first win of the season with a 10-0 win over The Masons Arms B.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS, TONY BRICE-CHADLINGTON SPORTS
DIVISION ONE - 20 DOLLS, EDDIE LACEY-COCK INN
DIVISION TWO - 18 DOLLS, RAY BARSON-THE GRIFFIN
DIVISION THREE - 13 DOLLS, JOE LANGFORD-OXFORD YEOMAN A
SIXERS
TONY BRICE - CHADLINGTON SPORTS
IAN GRANT & MICK PHIPPS - BOTH BLACK PRINCE A
NICK GRIFFIN & DAVE EVANS - BOTH COCK INN
PAUL ALLEN, GEORGE WILLIAMS & JASON ELEY - ALL ENSTONE SPORTS
RAY BARSON - THE GRIFFIN
THURSDAY 19TH MAY
This weeks action saw the four Premier section sides face off against eachother, and as predicted both matches went to a last leg decider to determine who came out on top. The Black Prince B made home advantage count by beating Chadlington Sports 7-3, whilst The Black Prince A managed to win the deciding leg by a single doll to record a 6-4 victory of The Masons Arms A in a very tight match.
In Division One, The Queens Head continued their early season good form by winning away at The George & Dragon A 8-2, Enstone Sports just managed to pip Hanborough SC 6-4 in another last leg decider, and finally The Three Horseshoes recorded their first points of the season, despite losing away at The Cock Inn 8-2.
In the lower sections, Division Two sides The Griffin and The Masons Arms B shared the points 5-5 in yet another last leg shootout, The Woodman Inn recorded their first victory of the season by winning away 7-3 at The Burditch Hall and Stonesfield SC won the final leg to secure a good 7-3 win at home against The George & Dragon B. The Killingworth Castle maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a strong performance away at Oxford Yeoman A by winning 7-3, and last of all The Oxford Yeoman B won a close match 8-2 away at The White Hart.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS, RAY GRANT-MASONS ARMS A
DIVISION ONE - 18 DOLLS, NICK GRIFFIN-THE COCK INN
DIVISION TWO - 14 DOLLS, ALAN MAJOR-OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 15 DOLLS, PETE KING-WOODMAN INN
SIXERS
RAY GRANT - MASONS ARMS A
ADRIAN LEWIS - BLACK PRINCE A
RICHARD JOHNSON - CHADLINGTON SPORTS
THURSDAY 12TH MAY
The weather continued to be kind to us in round three of this year's fixtures and, judging by the scoring, players seem to be warming up and are ready for action.
In the lower sections, home advantage was the deciding factor, with none of the away teams recording a victory. The matches Oxford Yeoman A v The White Hart and The Killingworth Castle v Stonesfield SC both ended in 7-3 wins for the home side, whilst The Masons Arms B recorded a good victory over Oxford Yeoman B 6-4. In the remaining two fixtures in these sections, the division three sides The George & Dragon B and The Woodman held division two sides Burditch Hall and The Griffin to creditable 5-5 draws.
In the top sections, Hanborough SC staged a fine comeback to pick up their first victory since being promoted. Having lost the opening two legs against The George & Dragon A, they hit back to will the remaining three legs to win 6-4. A solid team display from The Masons Arms A saw them continue at the top of the premier division and pick up a fine 7-3 win away at The Black Prince B. The local derby between Chadlington Sports and Enstone Sports ended with a 7-3 win for the home side, whilst The Black Prince A picked up all 10 points away at the struggling Three Horseshoes. The final match of the week witnessed some excellent scoring in a very tight match between The Queens Head & The Cock Inn, with the score ending 5 each.
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS, DICK WALSH-BLACK PRINCE A
DIVISION ONE - 20 DOLLS, LEE THOMPSON-QUEENS HEAD
DIVISION TWO - 14 DOLLS, STEVE BOTCHERBY-OXFORD YEOMAN B
DIVISION THREE - 13 DOLLS, GREG BROOKES-KILLINGWORTH CASTLE
SIXERS
RAY GRANT - MASONS ARMS A
MICK FOREMAN - BLACK PRINCE B
LEE THOMPSON - QUEENS HEAD
DICK WALSH & PHIL AUSTIN - BLACK PRINCE A
PLEASE NOTE!!!!
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THANKS!
THURSDAY 5TH MAY
No results cards received from:
Masons Arms v White Hart and Burditch Hall v Killingworth Castle
How VERY annoying and disappointing.
Anyway, with the weather being much better than last week, we managed to get our first full round of fixtures completed(if the above mentioned games were actually played!)
In the top divisions, The Masons Arms A continued their strong start to the season by beating an under-strength Three Horseshoes, whilst reining champions The Black Prince A were forced to battle hard to record a 6-4 win over a strong looking Queens Head. Enstone Sports pulled of an impressive win over The Black Prince B 8-2, whilst The George & Dragon A and The Cock Inn opened with narrow victories over Chadlington Sports and Hanborough SC respectively.
In the lower sections, the Oxford Yeoman A made it two out of two with an 8-2 win away at Stonesfield Sports, the George & Dragon B made a strong start by beating The Griffin and the Oxford Yeoman B defeated a weakened Woodman.
There was also the Preliminary Knockout Cup match played between The Black Prince A and Queens Head, with the sunshine helping some heavy scoring from both sides. The Black Prince A managed to win through to the Quater finals after winning 3-0, which included an impressive leg of 26 dolls
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 21 DOLLS, CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM & RAY GRANT-BOTH MASONS A
DIVISION ONE - 19 DOLLS, EDDIE LACEY-COCK INN
DIVISION TWO - 17 DOLLS, RAY BARSON-THE GRIFFIN
DIVISION THREE - 14 DOLLS, JOE LANGFORD-OXFORD YEOMAN A
SIXERS
GEORGE WILLIAMS - ENSTONE SPORTS
ROGER GOODALL & JON TOWNSEND - BLACK PRINCE A
THURSDAY 28TH APRIL
With the weather possibly being the worst that Aunt Sally has ever been played in, this round of fixtures suffered heavily with matches being cancelled or abandoned. Please see the home page for further information regarding the rules for events like this.
As for the brave few that managed to complete their matches, the only match in the top divisions that survived the monsoon was between Enstone and The Masons Arms A, where the points were shared with a 5-5 draw.
In the lower sections, Stonesfield Sports announced their return to the league with a 10-0 victory over the White Hart, and the Oxford Yeoman A put last years struggles behind them to open with a 6-4 win over the Burditch Hall.
Well done for all those players who braved the conditions to play!
TOP SCORERS
PREMIER - 14 DOLLS, CHARLIE BUCKINGHAM-MASONS ARMS A
DIVISION ONE - 15 DOLLS, GEORGE WILLIAMS-ENSTONE SPORTS
DIVISION TWO - 9 DOLLS, DAVE GUBBINS-BURDITCH HALL
DIVISION THREE - 11 DOLLS, ROB TUDGE-STONESFIELD SPORTS
SIXERS - NONE
WET SOCKS - EVERYONE