Oxfordshire mounted a fantastic rearguard action to win their opening Home Counties League game 122-106 against Surrey at Egham BC.

Despite skips Alan Ley and Calvin Carpenter leading throughout, Oxon trailed until the 15th end.

But, led by Barry Lambourne’s rink – featuring Banbury Central’s Nigel Galletly on his debut – winning nine out of the ten last ends, Oxon stormed to victory.

Surrey 106 (4pts), Oxfordshire 122 (18)

(Surrey rinks first)

Rink 1: J Burns, V Parker, P McDonnell, N Beeson 11, R Pink, D Allin, C Earl, A Ley 25.

Rink 2: D Spittles, R Cushen, L Dickson, M Sigamoney 25, D May, S Jones, I Henwood, J King 16.

Rink 3: J Tucker, G Dawber, B Emanuel, R Wicks 21, B Bloomfield, N Galletly, R Redford, B Lambourne 16.

Rink 4: M Dutton, R Dodds, D Clark, G Vigor 21, M Nash, R Jackson, G May, M Petersen 26.

Rink 5: S King, B Ayling, C Barratt, E O’Flynn 17, A Kemish, Re Clanfield, I Whelpton, P Sharman 18.

Rink 6: M Gray, P Jenkins, P Hunt, P Bennett 11, AJ Docherty, G Hooker, S Cooper, C Carpenter 21.

CARTERTON’S Richard Bull received his 100-game badge in Oxfordshire’s 115-93 friendly defeat by Somerset at Frome Selwood BC.

RESULTS

Somerset 115, Oxon 93 (Oxon rink scores): M Clarke, M Jones, L Lewis, M Petersen lost 19-14; D Piper, P Cross, D Wedge, I Whelpton lost 19-14; D Lines, P Brittin, R Slater, A Ley lost 20-10; R Jackson, B Buckingham, A Hunt, D Allin won 20-16. B Willoughby, M Cameron, J Lucas, M Brain drew 21-21; S Tolhurst, B Allin, R Bull, M Brain lost 20-14.

Oxon 151, Civil Service 92 (Oxon rink scores): S Tolhurst, B Flitter, S Jones, G Roper won 24-13; B Bloomfield, J Stephens, A Hall, M Andrew won 40-11; D Piper, N Satchel, J Lucas, D Allin lost 20-17; C Lewis, I Hale, H Winstone, I Whelpton won 20-18; D Lines, M Jones, L Lewis, H Payne won 21-16; M Cameron, R Jackson, J McGeough, A Ley won 29-14.

Oxon 133, Bedfordshire 101 (Oxon rink scores): A Hunt, T Backer-Holst, D Bullock, M Petersen won 21-9; G Hooker, A Fleming, L Lewis, A Ley won 22-18; S Tolhurst, B Jarvie, J Eatwell, D Allin lost 22-18; A Roberts, M Saunders, B Evans, B Gilkes lost 23-14; C Lewis, A Melville, H Franklin, R Slater lost 25-14; J Timms, T Beaumont, C Weller, I Whelpton won 44-4.