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SKOL TROPHY TEAM 8’s Competition

By on 1st April 2026 in Competition News, Newsletter, Summer League Reports

Don’t forget the above Trophy which is a handicap competition and is open to all registered sides that will kick off our season with the first games being played on Wednesday April 22nd.

It’s a great way to welcome the 2026 season and get some early competitive practice in ! 

We already have 15 entries, but would love to have some more! There is no limit to the number of teams who can enter, the only restriction is the closing date which is NEXT MONDAY at 10pm.  If you want to enter you need therefore to let us know quickly, either by e-mailing online via the Team Support option on the website or directly to me, roger.nichols@hotmail.com.

Entry only costs £8 (£1) per player and can be paid by cheque or cash and as long as it’s paid by the end of April your entry will be accepted. You see how much we trust you!

We have changed the handicap system this year so teams from each section will have the same handicap as all of the other teams in their section. It’s a variation from how the handicap  has operated in previous years and is being trialled for 2026 in the hope that it is more attractive to all teams and encourages teams from all sections to have a go, in this our most valued team competition!

Handicaps are consistently applied across individual sections and potentially you could get up to a 10 doll per leg start, but you can be certain that if you draw a side from a higher section you will get a doll(s) advantage in each leg! It’s an opportunity to test your team’s ability against other teams who, probably, you won’t meet during the course of the 2026 season.

Don’t be shy give it a try!

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2026 Registration Night Monday 16th March from 7.30pm

By on 14th March 2026 in Newsletter

Just a reminder that registration Night for the forthcoming Summer season will take place on Monday evening from 7.30pm at the Abingdon Conservative Club, Ock Street Abingdon.

A few things you need to know:-

  • Registration fee for 2026 is unchanged at £45 and that includes up to 15 players (additional players can be added throughout the season at the Committee’s discretion).
  • Payment can be made only by cash or cheque on the night. At the moment, unfortunately, we do not have a bank or card transfer facility.
  • Receipts will be issued as proof of entry, to enable, where appropriate, fees to be recovered where necessary from pubs/clubs.
  • Although registration will start at 7.30pm there is no need to rush because we will be there until at least 9pm.
  • Please make sure you have a copy or photo of your registration document as there are no photocopying facilities available on the night.
  • Please make sure you have completed all of the details including (legible) telephone number and e-mail addresses of your Secretary and Captain as they will be the main point of contact through the season together with the website.
  • Registrations for the Skol Trophy (the team 8’s handicapped knock out competition) will also be accepted on the night (entry fee £8 per team), but as we are making some changes to the handicap system for 2026 the entry date for this competition will remain open to all registered teams until the end of March.
  • The league season will start on Wednesday April 29th and conclude on and will conclude at the end of August.
  • The 1st round of the Skol Trophy will start the Summer season on Wednesday 22nd April for competing teams.
  • On Monday we will take orders for essential equipment which we will then order and deliver before the season starts. Again any orders should, if possible, be paid for on Monday by cash or cheque. Current prices are £65 for a set of six sticks, £20 for dolls, £25 for irons, and £30 for swivels these prices are considerably cheaper (up to 40%) than quoted retail online prices and from the same manufacturer!
  • All of your information packs including section formations and fixture lists will be available both online and hard copy delivered by early April.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask them on Monday when registering your team(s).

If for any reason you are unable to make it on Monday can you please send a representative and failing that, let us know in advance, either by e-mail using the team support facility on this website or alternatively by telephone to me (07768 427268).

We will be sorting out the league structure within the next few days following Monday so if we haven’t entered or paid your registration we can’t include your team.

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2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING at the CROFT BAR 8pm on Monday 26th

By on 25th January 2026 in Committee Meetings, Newsletter

Don’t forget tomorrow’s AGM which is your opportunity to have your input on the forthcoming Summer season, the league, competitions etc.

It’s also your opportunity to elect the officers who voluntarily administer the league on your behalf.

New people are always welcome to join the Committee and last year’s officers are particularly keen to have representation from teams in ALL sections.

 

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Help! Our website is in need !

By on 18th December 2025 in Newsletter

Our website was set up several years ago (well 10ish) and has met our needs adequately since one of our former Chairmen James Barguss and our current Chairman Paul Stone designed and got built the website enabling the Association to move into the 21st century. The current site has served us well, but technology moves on at pace and some of the functionality has, over time, become redundant and therefore inhibits our ability to upgrade/enhance our capability. Hence our need to find someone, hopefully from within our own community or someone who is known to our community to help with a rebuild of the site, or at least allow it to move to the latest software. 

The “someone” needs to be a system developer who has a sound knowledge of PHP and WordPress and who can migrate the site from our previous now redundant canvas theme to another theme which will in turn enable us to install the newest updated PHP version and increase the effectiveness of our website.

Whilst these skills may not be obvious within our immediate Aunt Sally population we are, initially reaching out to all in our community in the hope that someone’s son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter, friend, work colleague, neighbour etc will have the skills that we need!

This work ideally needs to be evaluated, completed and tested between now and the start of the Summer 2026 season (March/Aprol when we start setting up the league) so time is of the essence! 

Any ideas, suggestions or names would be very welcome and Paul Stone will be happy to brief any possible candidate on the requirements and it goes without saying that the Association will be prepared to remunerate the individual(s) for all work undertaken on our behalf!

Please contact Paul or myself, Roger Nichols via the team support or direct if you can help or know someone who may be able to!

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That’s Wednesday’s done for the 2025 Summer League

By on 18th September 2025 in Newsletter

Well last night’s Founders & Legends Trophy singles competition held at Abingdon Conservative Club was the final Wednesday of the Summer season which started 22 weeks ago with the first round of the Skol Trophy 8’s competition and ended with another long established Competition which commemorates all of the players and officials of the past who helped form, compete and administer our league for the past 65 years! 

Before that Competition though we played out the remaining semi final and final of our newest competition the Thames Cable Pairs which was new in 2025 and restricted to players from teams in the D, E and F sections. The competition attracted over 20 entries and matches were very competitive in  the earlier rounds, which were played up to the semi final stage when  held at the Harwellian Club last month.

The first semi final was between two sides from The Fox, Boars Hill  represented by Steve Fernback and Jo Wilson  and they played that semi final a couple of weeks ago against team mates Alan Fowler and Todd Morris on a neutral throw with Alan and Todd winning through after a tight contest which ended with a 3 stick shoot out.

So last night it was the turn of the other semi finalists who were Keiran Murphy and Michael Rainbow  from 2025 newcomers to the league Long Wittenham Athletic Club and they faced John Curry and Ashley Jerome representing Harwellian A. In another tight game that went to 3 legs it was the Harwellian’s who won through to face Alan and Todd in the final.

Again a close run contest which proved a “stretch” too far for the Fox pair and again after 3 legs it was,  due in a large part to an excellent 4 doll leg from John which saw the Harwellian pair to become the first winners of this Competition kindly sponsored, as is the league overall, by Thames Cable.

With those matched decided it was time to move on to the main event and one which so many players are eligible for being of or over a certain age! Disappointingly entries this year were significantly down compared to recent years, but 16 players took to the oche to compete for the Trophy and there were a number of tight matches in the early round before Geoff Lee, Dave Butler, Leigh Clapton and Dave Sapey  progressed to the semi finals. Both semis both of which were only decided after 3 legs and it was Abingdon Con Club’s Leigh Clapton and Berinsfield SC A’s Geoff Lee who made it through and then in the final it was Leigh who triumphed  to take yet another title, this time though a singles title, to the  Abingdon Conservative Club whose domination this year in all competitions is there for all to see.  They are far from finished and in just a few weeks time when they are represented in both the Singles and Pairs semi finals, our final competitions of the season on Presentation Night which takes  place on Friday October 10th at Abingdon United.

 

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Founders & Legends Trophy Tomorrow Evening

By on 16th September 2025 in Newsletter

An apology! To make a mistake once is careless, to make the same mistake twice is just incompetent! So please accept that’s what I am! 

Tomorrow’s Founders and Legends Trophy is open to ALL REGISTERED PLAYERS AGED 50 or over NOT 55, we changed that age threshold about 5 years ago!! Thanks to Paul Barrett and others for pointing this error to me last week and then I go and repeat the same error this week!

So just to be doubly sure if you are aged 50 or more you can play tomorrow night and if you would like you can pre register either online via team support or by email or text to me roger.nichols@hotmail.com or 07768 427268

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8’s, 5’s and 4’s it’s a clean sweep for Abingdon Conservative Club

By on 15th September 2025 in Newsletter

Last Wednesday, quite the worst weather we have experienced all Summer we decided to move the Final’s indoors which, fortunately we were able to do because we were at Abingdon United FC. I should straight away thank Brian Clapton and son Leigh for responding to my late, late call to make this possible.

Well not altogether surprisingly it was a very successful nitht for Premier Section Champions Abingdon Conservative Club who secured all of the titles on offer starting with a straight 2 leg victory over Croft Nomads in the Team 8’s. Putting Croft in, the Nomads scored a respectable 23 dolls, but that was not enough as the Con Club left anchorman Phil Adams needing only 1 doll to win the leg and, not surprisingly, he obliged with his first stick! Croft chose to set in the next leg and although they once again set 23 it was not enough and anchorman Phil Adams once again saw them home. Top scorers wer3 Alex Chamberlain with 9 dolls and Ken Fisher with 7 for the victors although one suspects Phil Adams might have been leading the count is he had needed to throw his 12 sticks. For Croft Steve Enock with 9 and Chris Jenkins with 7 dolls apiece led the Croft’s efforts.

Next up it was the 4’s final and this time the Con Club’s fearsome foursome were Alex Chamberlain, Dave Dix, Ken Fisher and Phil Adams against the Plum who had Mick Samways and Simon Winterbourne stepping in for the unavailable Paul Longford and Dave Bradshaw who had been part of the Plum’s team in the earlier qualifying rounds. Plum’s Paul Leach hit 7 dolls and Terry Downes 6, but with   Alex Chamberlain’ s first leg 3 and Dave Dix following that with a 5  the Plum’s first leg total of 7 was soon overtaken It was Plum again who set in the second leg and with 3’s from Terry  and Mick and a 4 from Paul Leach a target of 11 looked a good set, but 3 4’s from Alex, Dave and Phil was enough to see the Con Club home in 2!

 

The third and final competition was the 5’s and in this competition the Con Club  were sure to taste defeat (only because their 2 teams were playing each other so one had to lose!!) Surprisingly the scoring in this final with the extra player was very similar to the scoring in the 4’s with the 4 leg scores being 10-9, 13-12 in favour of the A team featuring Alex, Tom Lach, Ken and Phil. The B side comprised Paul Barrett, Tom Baldwin, Bob Duff,  Dave Davies and Leigh Clapton. Top scorer in this final was Dave Dix with 9 dolls.

 

This week it is the Founders & Legends Trophy which will be held at the Conservative Club on Wednesday evening. This is open to all registered players aged 55+with  Registration on the night from 7pm with the draw taking place at 7.20, no latre registrations will be accepted. Play will commence at 7.30 after a remaining semi final and final of the Thames Cable Pairs trophy take place.

It could be a long night depending on the weather so we would ask all players to arrive promptly, register quickly and be ready to play when called to avoid delays between games. If you want to pre-register you can via the Team support link on the website or, by sending me an e mail/text message that will help speed up the process on the night as we will be a couple of committee down!!

 

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Summer League 2025………Now it’s all over, all been said and now it’s done!

By on 10th September 2025 in Newsletter, Summer League Reports

It really doesn’t seem over 18 weeks ago that we were looking forward to our Summer season, some with hope, some with trepidation and some just simply looking forward to Wednesday night’s with some banter,  a drink or two and a relaxing game of Aunt Sally with their mates in the garden or backyard of a local hostelry! 

So how do we reflect on the Summer? Firstly with lots of pleasure because this year we achieved our goal of attracting 60 teams to our league with 8 new teams welcomed some joining for the very first time, others returning after a time away and a few other changes saw some changes of names and venues for old friends. Remarkably the Summer was kind to us as well with Wednesday evenings being mostly rain free and warm! Can’t always say that, but it certainly helps! Equally remarkably our game attracted 835 actual players in total over the course of the season with 60 teams that’s at least 16 players and some onlookers at 30 pubs or clubs every Wednesday evening for 18 weeks! That must be good for business!

So who were the successful teams now that it is all over for another season? Firstly all teams were successful in their own way not necessarily because they won their section or finished runners up, but because they took part, introduced new players to our game and spent some much needed income in the pubs and clubs who provide the facilities and the environment which enables our game to continue to thrive.

We do need to reflect on to last week’s games and there were some tight finishes some of which were decisive in determining winners and runners up in some sections. The Premier section winners were Abingdon Conservative Club who finished 12 points clear at the top of the table averaging over 24 dolls per leg over 54 legs! A challenge and achievement for us all to aspire to (in our dreams!). Special mention to both Phil Adams and Dave Dix from the Con Club who both just fell 1 doll short of that coveted maximum 18 dolls match total. Maybe next year it will happen! Runners up in the Premier were Croft Nomads who despite losing 5-1 at Berinsfield SC A still managed to retain second spot because their nearest rivals Plum Pudding needing a win on the night at the Red Lion A, but they lost 6-0 so were unable to close the gap finishing 5 points adrift.

It was those 2 winning sides who dominated the A section, Berinsfield SC A winning the title with a 12 point winning margin over the Red Lion A who finished runners up.

The B section went right to the wire and it was the Croft Bar who clinched top spot by just 3 points with a closing night 6-0 victory over Abingdon United C and Abingdon RBL also won on the night to secure the runners up spot.

The C section was comfortably won by The Wheatsheaf who had an excellent season losing only 2 of their 18 matches, runners up in this section were The Bell B from Grove who enjoyed another successful summer.

The D section was won by The Plough West Hanney who topped the table for most of the season so congratulations to them and to the section runners up from East Hagbourne, The Fleur de Lys B.

The E section was, like the B section, a close run thing with 4 teams contesting the top spots for much of the year. At the end though it was The Bystander who came out on top just 1 point ahead of runners up The Waggon & Horses, both sides winning 6-0 on the last day! Marcham Centre A who had been in contention for a long time fell short on their last day going down 5-1 against Hanney RBL, but can take the consolation that their skipper Brian Bosley secured the overall top dolls total for the section.

Finally to the F section the home of several of our new teams i 2025. With lots of solid performances through the Summer Ladygrove and Long Wittenham AC can be pleased with their first year in the league, but it was last year’s newcomers grove RFC who clinched the title and long serving North Star B who finished runners up in this section.

Finally let’s not forget all of those players who recorded personal double figure scores last week, some for the first time (and last) this season.

Leading the pack last week was Alex Chamberlain for AB Con Club with 14 dolls including a maximum 6 Phil Adams and Dave Dix chipped in with 12 and 11 respectively for the league champions. In the Berinsfield SC A match against Croft Nomads, Andy Phelps top scored with 12 dolls for the home side and for the Croft both Barry Townsend (with a 6) and Chris Jenkins matched Andy’s 12. Also in this pretty high scoring match Stuart Wilson with 11 an Mick Greenaway and Richard Jones weighed in with 10 dolls each and for the Croft it was Alan Bell and Steve Enock with 11 dolls apiece.

In the Plum Pudding v Red Lion game Paul Leach and Dean Bowler for the Plum (Paul) and Red Lion (Dean) both hit 11 and also for the Lion, Scott Tabor racked up 10 dolls.

Elsewhere Phil Soden’s 12 dolls were his best of the season, Gary de la Ruiz’s 12 for the Harwellian B included a 6, Andy Morton’s 11 was joined in double figures by team mates, Jumbo Mott, Jason Bowler and Steve Martin who all contributed 1o dolls for Abingdon United A. Steve Davidson, mine host, captain and secretary for the Fox Denchworth led his team with 11 dolls.

There were lots of 10’s scored last week William Glen for Stanford FC, Charlie Guinan for the Wheatsheaf, Andy Shipman of the Harwellian B and his Harwellian clubmate from the A side Woodie Reiszner all broke single figures with 10 dolls each.

A final mention in the race for top doll scorer for top doll between father and son Billy and Dave Collett it was Billy who came out on top by just 4 dolls despite Dave outscoring him 7 to 5 last week. The difference in their season’s totals was probably decided by Billy playing all 18 fixtures whilst Dave only played 17!

Just to close this last league review of the season I would just like to remind you that the season is yet to finish! Tonight (Wednesday 10th) we will be staging the team competitions finals at Abingdon United and next week, Wednesday the 17th it is the Founders & Legends Trophy at Abingdon Conservative Club again from 7.30 which is open to all registered players aged 55 or over, registration on the night from 7 to 7.15. We also plan to hold the remaining semi final and final of the inaugural lower section pairs (D/E/F) before the start of that competition.

Even then the summer season isn’t completely over as we will stage our Presentation Night at Abingdon United FC from 7pm on Friday 10th October when the singles and pairs semi finals and finals will be played and all of the season’s trophies will be presented.

Still More to Come!

Don’t hang up your sticks just yet:

  • Tonight (Wed 10th Sept): Team Competition Finals at Abingdon United.
  • Next Wednesday (17th Sept 7pm): Founders & Legends Trophy at Abingdon Conservative Club (open to all players aged 55+ registration 7-7.15).
  • Lower Section Pairs (D/E/F): Semi-final and final to be played before the Legends Trophy kicks off.
  • Presentation Night: Friday 10th October at Abingdon United FC from 7pm. Singles and pairs finals, plus trophy presentations—don’t miss it!

A Massive Thank You

That’s it for this season’s Roger’s Ramblings! Huge thanks to every player, captain, secretary, landlord/lady, steward, and supporter. Whether you played every week or just stepped in when needed, you’ve helped keep this wonderful game not just alive—but absolutely thriving.

Here’s to another cracking season. Cheers!

Roger Nicols

League Treasurer and Match Secretary

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Week 17 and as the league season draws to a close, 4 section winners and 3 runners up are now decided

By on 1st September 2025 in Newsletter, Summer League Reports

Last Wednesday’s fixtures saw several season outcomes decided. In the Premier Abingdon Con Club only needed 1 point to secure the title and Phil Adams needing 3 to draw the leg and secure that point with his last stick went 1 better with his 4 dolls in the opening leg actually gaining 2 points and securing the Premier section title against hosts Croft Nomads. The second leg went to the Croft, but Con Club secured a 4-2 result with the third leg in a match which saw 144 dolls recorded and the Premier league title comfortably finding a new home at the Con Club albeit with many serial winners of the title included in their side. For the Con Club of the 8 team hit double figures Dave Dix with 12, Phil Adams, Paul Barrett and Ken Fisher all contributed 11 and for the Croft Alan Bell top scored with 11 and Both Barry Townsend and Paul Stone hit 10, for Paul it was his first double digit score of the season.

Croft now need at least 3 points from their last game at Berinsfield SC A this week to see off nearest rivals for the runners up spot, Plum Pudding who closed the gap to 4 points with a 4-2 win against Stanford FC. Paul Longford again top scored for the Plum with 10 dolls.

Berinsfield SC A themselves have enjoyed a successful summer winning last week 6-0 against Abingdon Utd with Richard Jones hitting 10 dolls for the already secured A section winners. For Utd Jason Bowler recorded the only maximum six last week in his 11 dolls for Utd. Berinsfield will finish comfortable winners of the A section ahead of already certain to be runners up Red Lion A.

There were a good number of double figure totals recorded last week amongst the sections, Abingdon RBL’s Paul Ealey scored 12 in the B section and in the same section Harwellian B’s Andy Shipman hit 10. The C section saw Red Lion B’s Alex Winton hit 10 In the D section both Tom McGregor for the Fleur de Lys B and Todd Morris for the Fox, Boars Hill also scored 10 apiece for their sides and for them both that was their first double dolls tally of the season. And in the F section it was a 10 for Sol Parker which wasn’t only his first double figure haul, but also the first for the Horse & Jockey team so well done Sol and to all of the other first timers!

Of the 6 sections 3 are going to the wire in terms of both section winners and runners up with a lot of “crowding” at the top. In the B section Croft Bar find themselves at the top for the first time this season with just the one game to play, but 0nly 4 points separate the top 4 and both the the section winners and runners up could end up being decided not on points difference, but on actual dolls scored! All will become clear on Wednesday!

The C section winners are The Wheatsheaf Didcot despite losing only their second game of the season to The Fox, Denchworth they had already secured the title the previous week, The Bell B, Grove will finish runners up thanks at least in part to ensuring a maximum 6 points haul in 6 of their 17 games so far.

D section winners are The Plough, West Hanney and runners up spot has been secured by The Fleur de Lys B who are finishing the season strongly winning their last 3 games.

That takes us to the E section which is another section going right to the wire this week. Bystander currently lead the table by just 1 point from Marcham Centre A and the Waggon & Horses. Hanney RBL still have a theoretical chance of claiming one of the 2 top spots, but to do that they will have to win 6-0 at home to Marcham Centre this week and that, in turn would deny Marcham their hopes for top spot.

The F section has been led for most of the season by Grove RFC and they just need 4 points from this week’s home tie against Marcham Centre B to secure the F section title. North Star B look favourites to come runners up, but in the unlikelyhood of a 6-0 and a 6-0 defeat for the Rugby Club this week those roles could be reversed!

So as we approach the last week of the Summer 2025 season still lots to play for many teams and that also extends to a couple of the section individual “top dollers”.

Not surprisingly Dave Dix is not catchable in the Premier, but in the A section this weeks tally will determine the outcome in the race between Danny Hamilton and Richard Jones, Derick Brown of the WADs bar will take the honours in the B section and Steve Taylor in section C. Section D is very interesting with “brothers” ? Billy and Dave Collettt separated by only 6 dolls with just 18 sticks left to throw! Brian Bosley will collect the E section top “doller” trophy and Jim Fletcher the F section award!

So the last week of the season, one that has been pretty kind in terms of Wednesday night weather and still lots to play for!

Don’t forget Finals Night at Abingdon United on the 10th September with a 7.30 start.

And a final not from me by way of apology for all the times I have got things wrong in these reports over the season, but as I have said before I didn’t mean it and that includes anyone who has hit double figures who I failed to mention, Sorry to my teamate Steve Enock who should have got his 10 dolls mentioned in last week’s report!

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Red Drive Team 3’s Competition

By on 28th August 2025 in Competition News, Newsletter, Summer League Reports

Regrettably the scheduled remaining rounds of the Red Drive Competition which had been re-arranged for this evening has been cancelled. The Competition had initially had attracted 10 entries and the preliminary rounds were held in early August leaving 8 teams through to the quarter finals which were to take place this evening. Originally we had hoped to complete the Competition on that initial date, but due to some lost time and prolonged games on that evening which also hosted the Team 4’s competition we were unable to complete the necessary 6 additional games needed to conclude the team 3’s competition.

So we had the challenge of finding a mutually acceptable date for the  teams which were drawn from just 4 clubs. With the end of the season fast approaching Thursday August 28th was chosen. One team gave ample notice that they would be unable to make that date and withdrew. Then yesterday evening one of the remaining 7 teams withdrew and then this morning another withdrawal was advised leaving only 5 teams left to compete. 

After due consideration it was felt that it was not feasible to continue so notice was given earlier today to the remaining sides that the competition would be cancelled and not held this season.

It is regrettable as we have, as a Committee maintained a determination to stage all of our Competitions although for some, entries, particularly for the team competitions has declined, in recent years.

Entries for individual and pairs competitions remains good and last weeks new pairs competition exclusively for players in the D, E and F sections attracted a brilliant 22 entries!

We, the Committee do recognise the difficulties in attracting entries anD also when and where to stage them to maximise entry levels. 

We will be seeking the views and ideas from all of our member clubs through the winter months and present both any findings and suggested options/changes at the 2026 AGM when it is held early next year.

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