WHAT should have been the outstanding match of the season in the Bridle Insurance Oxfordshire League between the top two teams, Headington and Watlington, was marred by a road crash.

The doyen of Watlington bowls, Bob Gilkes, and his wife Nina were taken to hospital after the accident.

With their son Steve sidelined by resulting family commitments, hosts Watlington were without two skips for the Division 1 top-of-the-table battle.

In an often tight contest, they could not stop Headington, for whom skip Howard Watts won on the last end, triumphing 6-0 and going 15 points clear.

West Witney drew 3-3 at home to Banbury Central in a tight relegation battle.

The match was so close that Will Campion killed the final end, despite holding shot, as he knew he needed a five to win the match. He lost the replayed end.

The surprise of the week was Blackbird Leys’ 5-1 defeat of long-term Division 3 leaders Charlbury, as Roy Brain and Alex Fleming’s rinks both won by more than ten points.

BRIDLE INSURANCE OXON LEAGUE

Division 1

South Oxford A 70 (1pt), City & County A 79 (5) (S Oxford skips first): D Claridge 16, P Comley 26; J Hall 17, C Earl 24; K Mobley 17, C Pollard 19; D Tidball 20, A Ley 10.

Watlington 62 (0), Headington A 84 (6) (Watlington skips first): A Twinn 22, N Rae-Welsh 26; C Gilkes 15, M Charlett 19; S Cooper 10, J King 23; G Hooker 15, H Watts 16.

West Witney 79 (4), Banbury Central A 72 (2) (West skips first): K Alder 23, I Whelpton 10; A McIntyre 19, N Galletly 27; D Leighfield 16, W Campion 18; P Skidmore 21, K McNeil 17.

Division 2

Shiplake 95 (4), Chipping Norton 63¼ (2) (Shiplake skips first): B Lambourne 36, J Benfield 13; G Kennedy 15, J Martin 23¼; J Bland 27, T Sealey 8; M Shepherd 17, K Field 19.

Witney Town 81 (5), Witney Mills 73 (1) (Witney skips first): P Demczak 23, R Barnett 20; T Ludlow 22, C Weller 13; A Scholan 26, L Days 15; B Bloomfield 10, P Robbins 25.

Division 3

Banbury Central B 87 (3), Bicester 82 (3) (Banbury skips first): R Cox 18, R Herbert 24; T McKenna 34, K Taylor 12; E Creed 16, A Hall 26; M Leather 19, M Norman 20.

Blackbird Leys 90 (5), Charlbury 74 (1) (B Leys skips first): R Brain 24, M East 14; P Sage 30, D Cooper 22; J Baldwin 15, J Stevens 28; A Fleming 21, E Pitts 10.

Chadlington 76 (4), Hanborough 67 (2) (Chadlington skips first): P Madeley 21, K Williams 13; C Smart 23, G Haynes 16; C Brett 18, M Oliver 21; P Radbone 14, G Thompson 17.

Division 4

Oxford City & County B 83 (3) South Oxford B 79 (3) (City skips first): T Gripe 22, P Powers 24; J Glenn 17, D Bye 20; B Stone 17, J Guest 20; G Powell 27, E Lamb 15.

OUP 65 (2), Bloxham 77 (4) (Oxford skips first): P Tweddle 19, T Gardner 17; T Cox 19, J Lucas 12; G Jordan 13, D Morse 29; R Cann 14, R Higgins 19.

West Oxford 63 (1), Thame 93 (5) (West skips first): J Parker 14, K Calcutt 27; G Richardson 23, R Jenner 12; A Blackburn 15, P Heafey 26; C Sherwood 11 J Timms 28.

OXON’S ladies secured a 100-98 win over the men at Chipping Norton in a contest reduced to 18 ends due to the weather.

With two of the rinks being drawn, it was the strong finishes of skips Pat Ostler and Jeanette Berry, who won the last seven and six ends respectively, which turned the tide in the ladies’ favour.

Oxon Men 98, Oxon Ladies 100

(Men’s rinks first)

Rink 1: R Slater, B Ealey, P Warner & I Whelpton 18; M Morris, J Alder, S Blackmore & W Cross 18.

Rink 2: S Tolhurst, J Timms, A Wase & B Bloomfield 16; S Gokgor, G Muir, D Jacob & C Penson 8.

Rink 3: A Smith, B Jarvie, G Middleton & P Demczak 16; M Alderson, P Willoughby, S Crick & B Havard 16.

Rink 4: B Willoughby, E Dorling, J McGeough & A Hall 13; J Fountain, K Alder, C Thornhill & P Ostler 18.

Rink 5: M Cameron, R Radband, A Fleming & M Morris 23; M Stacey, K Galloway, M Osborne, M Darton 16.

Rink 6: M Saunders, J Stephens, M Oliver & M Brain 12; J Gore, J Gray, P Shepherd & J Berry 24.