NEW Club A showed no signs of last-day nerves as they finished the mission to become Section 1 champions, writes ANDY BEAL.
The leaders needed a solitary point against Swan B to guarantee the title in the Oxford & District League.
And they wasted no time, taking the opening leg 26-19.
Swan levelled 26-23, before the champions fittingly signed off with a win by taking the final leg 19-14.
Garsington Sports needed a maximum to stand any chance of glory, but had to make do with the runners-up spot after losing 2-1 at Black Prince.
Star man Rob Bradford (4-6-4) bagged a six in his 14-doll haul for Prince, who won 29-15, 19-23, 27-23.
Garsington’s Barry Ruffels hit a dozen to end up top doll scorer in Section 1 with 182 dolls.
Gladiators A finished up top scorers overall, helped by Kevin Giles claiming the individual honour.
They signed off in the Premier Section with a 23-16, 33-20, 26-22 victory against Red Lion A Yarnton.
Giles (4-6-3) and teammate Barry Townsend (5-5-3) whipped off baker’s dozens.
Woodman finished on a high with a 2-1 win over champions Swan A.
Charlie Buckingham (4-5-5) led the way in the 23-20, 21-20, 20-24 success.
Pete Rampton was in sensational form for Six Bells D in the Section 2 whitewash of their E team.
He clanged off 15 dolls, including a maximum, to inspire a 20-18, 21-19, 23-20 victory.
Gladiators C clinched second spot as they beat Red Lion A Marston 3-0 at home.
Scott Thompson (4-5-4) led the way as the hosts ran out 19-17, 23-22, 26-15 winners.
Veteran Phil Wilkins, grabbed a six in his final throw for Ampleforth Arms A as they edged out Tiddington Cricket Club 2-1.
Chris Webb (5-6-4) finished the season in style to guide Section 3 champions Gladiators B to a 17-13, 19-13, 24-15 triumph over visitors Rose Hill Club.
Catherine Wheel endured a nervous wait before they were crowned Section 4 champions.
Needing just one point to guarantee the title, they lost the first leg at Blackbird 17-11.
They struggled in the next leg after their hosts set 13, but rallied to hit 14, which meant a 15-10 defeat in the final leg was academic.
Red Lion B Yarnton crashed 3-0 at Northway Club C but still clung onto to second place.
It was a good performance by Northway, winning all three legs 18-11, 12-10, 17-12.
One-time title hopefuls Cowley Workers Club will be glad to see the back of this season after losing their seventh game on the bounce.
They went down 3-0 at Swan C with leg scores of 18-15, 16-15, 18-16.
Cricketers Arms Cowley went down 2-1 at Ampleforth Arms, but still emerged top of a three-way battle for the top spot in Section 5.
Vikings Sports C could have forced a play-off if they won 3-0, but fell one point short after losing the opening leg to their D team.
Masons Arms B’s hopes were dashed by a 2-1 home defeat to Cricketers Arms Littleworth.
Tandem’s stretched their winning streak to four matches with a 2-1 victory against Red Lion B Marston, but still finished bottom.
Kidlington Football Club sealed second place in Section 6.
Gary Johnson was their top dog with nine dolls in the 11-8, 15-13,
15-11 win against Golden Ball, who finished the campaign with the unwanted record of being the only team not to win a game.
RESULTS ROUND-UP
OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Premier & Section 1: Chequers A 1, George A 2; Red Lion A 0, Gladiators A 3; Black Prince 2, Garsington Sports 1; Woodman 2, Swan A 1; Swan B 1, New Club A 2.
Section 2: Tiddington CC 1, Ampleforth Arms A 2; Six Bells D 3, Six Bells E 0; Donnington Club A 2, Red Lion A Kidlington 1; Bullnose Morris A 2, Donnington Club C 1; Gladiators C 3, Red Lion A Marston 0.
Section 3: George B 2, Queens Head 1; Gladiators B 3, Rose Hill Club 0; Six Bells A 2, Six Bells B 1; New Club B 3, Littlemore BL A 0; Seacourt Bridge 3, Masons Arms A 0.
Section 4: Blackbird 2, Catherine Wheel B 1; Northway Club C 3, Red Lion B 0; Vikings Sports B 2, Vikings Sports A 1; Green Road Club A 0, Bullnose Morris B 3; Swan C 3, Cowley Workers Club 0.
Section 5: Ampleforth Arms B 2, Cricketers Arms Cowley 1; Red Lion B 1, Tandem 2; Vikings Sp D 1, Vikings Sp C 2; Masons Arms B 1, Cricketers Arms Littleworth 2; Littlemore BL B 3, Donnington Club B 0.
Section 6: Catherine Wheel A 3, Chequers B 0; Golden Ball 0, Kidlington FC A 3; Bletchington Sports 1, White Horse 2; Red Lion B 1, Green Road Club B 2; Prince of Wales 1, Duke of Monmouth 2.
Section 7: Kidlington FC B 2, Northway Club B 1; Democrats 2, Yarnton BL 1; White Hart Wolvecote 1, White Hart Wytham 2; Marston BL 2, Headington Con Club 1.
Top doll scorers: 15 – P Rampton (Six Bells D), C Webb (Gladiators B). 14 – R Bradford (Black Prince), C Buckingham (Woodman). 13 – K Giles, B Townsend (Gladiators A), S Thompson (Gladiators C), P Shepherd (Tiddington Cricket Club).
Sixers: K Giles (Gladiators A), C Webb (Gladiators B), P Rampton (Six Bells D), P Wilkins (Ampleforth Arms A), R Bradford (Black Prince).
Blobbers: C Gilett (Chequers C), C Hodgson (White Hart Wytham), H Morgan (White Hart Wolvercote), P Smith (Kidlington FC B), S Crawford (Golden Ball), T Morris (Catherine Wheel B), P Wilkins (Ampleforth Arms A), D Walker (Bletchington Sports), P Hastings (Prince of Wales), T Cox (Marston BL).
BICESTER & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Premier & Div 1: Nut Tree 1, Pheasant Inn 2; Black Bull B 2, Highfield SC 1; White Lion 3, Black Bull A 0.
Div 2: White Horse 0, Red Cow 3; Bull Inn A 3, Prince of Wales 0; The Lion 1, Bell Bicester 2; Brill S&SC B 2, Muddy Duck 1.
Div 3: Chandos Arms 2, Bull & Butcher B 1; Butchers Arms 0, Shakespeare 3; Ashton 2, Barley Mow 1; Chearsley 0, Brill S&SC A 3.
Div 4: Crown Twyford 2, White Hart 1; Fox Souldern 3, Hundred Acres 0; Harrison 1, Plough A 2; Red Lion Finmere 1, Bull Inn B 2.
Div 5: Safari Garden 0, Crown B 3; Blacks Head 0, Fountain 3; Bull & Butcher A 3, Black Bull Divas 0; Plough Casuals 3, Eight Bells 0.
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