JON Townsend clanged off 15 dolls (6-6-3) to help Swan A beat Gladiators A 2-1 in the Premier Section top-of-the-table clash, writes ANDY BEAL.

Teammate Pete Coates chipped in with 14 (4-6-4) as the league leaders remained two points ahead of their rivals with two weeks of the Greene King Oxford & District League season remaining.

After Swan took the first leg, Gladiators looked likely to level, but a six from Townsend and five from Keith Powell saw the frontrunners snatch it 30-25.

However, they did pick up a point by winning the third.

Charlie Buckingham hit 14 (4-5-5), but it could not prevent Woodman going down 2-1 to New Club A for whom Pete Shepherd bagged himself a six in a 13-doll haul (6-2-5).

Garsington Sports Club A boosted their Section 1 title ambitions by beating leaders Yarnton British Legion 2-1.

Mark Poulter top-scored for Yarnton with 14 (5-4-5).

Bullnose Morris A stay second after coming from behind to beat George A 2-1 at home.

Kevin Stuart starred for the visitors with 13 (4-4-5).

Section 2 is still up for grabs with Swan B boosting their chances and severely denting the Crown’s by coming away with a 3-0 win.

Swan easily won the opener, before taking the second, but only after anchorman Dennis Sellar came within one of tying.

They then wrapped up the win 30-19 in the third. It cannot get any tighter at the top of Section 3 with three teams level at the top and another three points behind.

Vikings Sports A beat King & Queen 3-0, taking the last on three sticks.

Florence Park A got off to a comfortable start against Chequers C, but were forced to a decider which they clinched by the odd doll.

Chequers A make up the trio, but could have gone a point clear if they had not dropped a point against basement boys Masons Arms A in a 2-1 triumph.

Blackbird have one hand on the Section 4 title after beating Donnington Club A 3-0.

Playing with a man short cost Donnington dear as they lost the first leg by the smallest of margins 16-15. Blackbird took advantage of the extra man and easily won the next two.

Littlemore British Legions chances went down the pan when they lost 2-1 at home to Red Lion A Marston.

Green Road Club B produced their best performance of the season to come from behind and beat Berkshire House 2-1.

Simon Hopkins (3-6-4) and Stuart Lawrie (3-5-5) both hit 13 for Green Road.

Eamon Hanlon hit his third 13 on the bounce (5-3-5) to guide Section 5 winners Black Swan to a 2-1 victory over Swan C.

After losing their previous twelve games North Oxford Con Club A reversed the trend and beat fellow strugglers Red Lion B Marston 3-0.

PHEASANT Inn’s Section 6 title ambitions are slipping away after they lost 2-1 at home to Seacourt Bridge.

They are now four points adrift of leaders Vikings Sports D.

Paul Wallington threw a steady 12 (4-4-4) for Pheasant.

Four teams still have a shot at the Section 7 crown, with Northway A leading the pack after a 2-1 win over Red Lion B Cassington.

Florence Park B put themselves back in the hunt after beating local rivals Bullnose Morris B 2-1.

It was an unhappy return for former Bullnose player Ray Hambridge, who blobbed out for Florence Park B.

Green Road Club A’s title ambitions suffered a blow as they lost 2-1 at basement boys Donnington B.

Terry Lester hit a rare six to end up with ten dolls for Green Road.

Black Horse Kidlington opened up a three-point gap at the top of Section 8 after a routine 3-0 win at home over White Hart.

Stuart Kimber hit a six for Kidlington Football Club, but then followed it up with a blob, as they lost 2-1 at Golden Ball B.

The last unbeaten record of the season fell as Section 9 leaders Golden Ball A crashed 3-0 at the Kings Arms.

RESULTS

GREENE KING OXFORD &

DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & Section 1: Woodman 1, New Club A 2; Six Bells A 1, Black Prince 2; Bullnose Morris A 2, George A 1; Swan A 2, Gladiators A 1; Yarnton BL 1, Garsington Sports A 2.

Section 2: Crown 0, Swan B 3; Gladiators B 2, Red Lion 1; Six Bells A 3, Queens Head 0; New Club B 1, Donnington D 2.

Section 3: Masons Arms A 1, Chequers A 2; Vikings Sports B 2, Tiddington CC 1; Chequers C 1, Florence Park A 2; King & Queen 0, Vikings Sports A 3; George B 3, Six Bells B 0.

Section 4: Green Road B 2, Berkshire House 1; Garsington Sports B 2, Three Horseshoes 1; Blackbird 3, Donnington A 0; Littlemore BL 1, Red Lion A 2.

Section 5: Black Swan 2, Swan C 1; Red Lion B Marston 0, North Oxford CC A 3; Democrats A 1, Six Bells B 2; Red Lion Yarnton 2, Rose Hill A 1.

Section 6: Fox & Goat 2, White Hart 1; Rose Hill B 1, Prince of Wales 2; Chequers B 1, Vikings Sports C 2; Pheasant Inn 1, Seacourt Bridge 2.

Section 7: Marston BL 2, Northway B 1; Donnington B 2, Green Road A 1; Northway A 2, Red Lion B 1; Florence Park B 2, Bullnose Morris B 1.

Section 8: Cricketers Arms 3, Democrats B 0; Black Horse 3, White Hart 0; Northway C 2, Catherine Wheel 1; Golden Ball B 2, Kidlington FC 1.

Section 9: Kings Arms 3, Golden Ball A 0, Bletchingdon Sports 3, Original Swan B 0.

Sixers: J.Townsend (2), P Coates (Swan A), P Shepherd (New Club A), R Bradford (Black Prince), S Hopkins (Green Road B, T Lester (Green Road A), S Kimber (Kidlington FC).

Blobbers: D Smith (Red Lion B Marston), K Sharp (Fox & Goat), CBlackburn (Seacourt Bridge), R Heath (Northway C), F Delaney (Democrats B), P Dyer, D Glancy (both Kings Arms), M Pestana (Golden Ball A), C Butler (Vikings Sports B), W Morris (Six Bells B), R Hambridge (Florence Park B).

Top doll scorers: 15 – J Townsend (Swan A). 14 – C.Buckingham (Woodman), P Coates (Swan A), M Poulter (Yarnton BL). 13 – P Shepherd (New Club A), E Edwards (Woodman), J Clemson (Six Bells A), K Stuart, (George A), S Lawrie, S Hopkins (Green Road B), E Hanlon (Black Swan).