WITH promotion and relegation issues settled in the top two divisions of the Oxford & District League, attention turned to the other sections for the last week of the season.

Bicester had long since wrapped up the Division 3 title, but no fewer than four teams were bidding for the other promotion spot going into the final round of matches.

Shiplake, in fifth, cruised to a 5-1 home win over Hanborough which put them – momentarily – into second place on shot count.

Thame were many people’s favourites for promotion with a game at Chadlington, who were likely to be relegated.

However, Carl Smart and his men had other ideas winning their game 4-2 to leave Thame short in the promotion race – although the win was not enough to save Chadlington from the drop.

The final match was between the champions and Banbury Central.

And it was promotion hopefuls Central who came out on top, 4-2, to take the final promotion place.

In Division 4, fourth place Burford could have finished second if they defeated a resurgent Blackbird Leys on all four rinks.

However, they fell to a 4½-1½ defeat which ended their promotion hopes.

With second-placed City & County B not in action, it was then in the hands of Woodstock to pick up at least five points from their clash at basement side Oxford University Press to secure a top-two berth.

And a 6-0 whitewash sealed second place and a spot in Division 3 next season.

West Oxford wrapped up the title with a 5-1 win at South Oxford B.

Headington had already sealed the Division 1 title, with Witney Mills and Witney Town relegated.

City & County A won Division 2, with Adderbury also going up.

At the other end, Charlbury and Chipping Norton were relegated.

RESULTS

Division 1

Witney Town 53 (1), Watlington 75 (5) (Witney skips first): A Scholan 13, C Gilkes 18; P Demczak 11, L Westcott 23; B Bloomfield 18, G Hooker 13; P Warner 11, S Watts 21.

Carterton 72 (5), Witney Mills 59 (1) (Carterton skips first): S Aldren 15, R Barnett 19; P Sharman 22, J Mott 11; D Clanfield 18, C Weller 14; T Jupp 17, P Robbins 15.

Headington A 79 (5), Banbury Central A 48 (1) (Headington skips first): M Nash 18, M Andrew 11; J Philpott 30, K McNeil 9; B King 14, W Campion 16; B May 17, N Galletly 12.

Division 2

Chipping Norton 52 (0), Kidlington 85 (6) (Chipping Norton skips first): A Fleming 17, A Rowe 22; P Hickman 12, J Feeley 19; K Field 11, C Cox 18; T Sealey 12, S Gibson 26.

Charlbury 73 (5), South Oxford A 56 (1) (Charlbury skips first): E Pitts 11, K Mobley 18; M Smith 19, D Tidball 13; D Cooper 22, V De Paauw 15; E Abbey 21, G Young 10.

Adderbury 78 (5½), Headington B 55 (½) (Adderbury skips first): D Sharpe 16, C Whitehead 16; P Gladden 22, R Edwards 17; T Ely 16, S Gould 10; C Skidmore 24, M Kershaw 12.

Division 3

Chadlington 70 (4), Thame 62 (2) (Chadlington skips first): P Radbone 13, P Costin 22; C Smart 25, L Canfield 11; C Brett 12, G Penn 17; R Arthur 20, C Shannon 12.

Shiplake 68 (5), Hanborough 39 (1) (Shiplake skips first): D Webb 10, C Hayley 14; J Bland 16, M Oliver 9; B Lambourne 27, G Thompson 7; G Kennedy 15, G Haynes 9.

Banbury Central B 65 (4), Bicester 64 (2) (Banbury skips first): K Williams 13, R Herbert 14; T McKenna 22, P Hooley 17; E Creed 12, K Taylor 16; E Trinder 18, E Sheffield 17.

Division 4

South Oxford B 66 (1), West Oxford 70 (5) (S Oxford skips first): D Lyne 15, M Bostock 17; D Child 16, J Parker 19; B Stephenson 24, B Murphy 16; D Portman 11, G Richardson 18.

Blackbird Leys 71 (4½), Burford 58 (1½) (B Leys skips first): P Smith 24, J Hurren 13; J Baldwin 11, B Parker 22; M Mansell 20, D Mustoe 7; S O’Keefe 16, J Lafford 16.

Woodstock 94 (6), Oxford University Press 40 (0) (Woodstock skips first): T Stevens 26, R Cann 8; D Francis 22, G Jordan 10; S Hopkins 18, J Curtis 13; P Shipton 28, D Barlow 9.

  • Oxfordshire lost 125-112 to Middlesex in their Home Counties League clash.

There was little between the sides until the 18th end when five of the hosts’ rinks conceded 16 shots, with only Kevin Alder’s four improving their position.

With only a game against Buckinghamshire to play, defeat ended Oxfordshire’s 2019 campaign.

Oxon 112 (4pts), Middlesex 125 (18)
Rink 1: H Beall, R Green, S Aldren & P Robbins lost 23-14.
Rink 2: B May, A Ley, C Weller & C Charles lost 22-12.
Rink 3: B Squires, C Lewis, A Kemish & P Sharman lost 21-17.
Rink 4: P Demczak, D Wedge, S Watts & S Cooper lost 23-16.
Rink 5: B Bloomfield, M Morris, O Bennett & K Alder won 29-17.
Rink 6: T Prew, A Wase, B Clarke & P Comley won 24-19.

Oxfordshire recorded an emphatic 158-90 win over Bristol in their friendly match.

Oxon 158, Bristol 90
Rink 1: C Lewis, J Hurren, J Lucas & A Wase won 30-7.
Rink 2: S Tolhurst, R Oliver, G Thompson & R Barnett won 24-20.
Rink 3: P Demczak, J Stephens, M Oliver & I Whelpton won 29-15.
Rink 4: M Jones, C Haley, P Warner & A Ley lost 22-21.
Rink 5: R Slater, B Ealey, A Fleming & B Bloomfield won 27-16.
Rink 6: B Willoughby, J McGeough, D Wedge & B Clarke won 27-10.