The Final Countdown
(with one more to go)
Well, the end is nigh! That is, to this year’s Summer league programme and there is still much to play for particularly in the lower sections where in the D,E and F sections both the Section champions and the runners up positions are still to be decided – this week’s fixtures will determine just who finishes where in these sections. The D section Harwellian A lead The Midget by just one point and travel to The Red Lion on Wednesday whilst The Midget will entertain Berinsfield SC B so whilst both teams are certain of a top 2 place in which order will only be sorted after their last games!! The E section is similarly poised with The Wheatsheaf Didcot needing at least 3 points from their visit to RAL SC to pip their nearest rivals North Star A to the title and North Star have a short trip along the Hanney Road to play Hanney RBL in their final match knowing only a win will give them any chance of overhauling the Wheatsheaf. The F section is a straight fight between two newcomers with the WADS Bar at home to The Plough and the Fleur de Leys travelling to face Marcham Centre B. Both new teams to the league have done really well and can look forward to possibly stepping up at least one section in 2025 (subject to the usual averages calculations!).
The other league titles are sorted and although, in the Premier Abingdon United@Con Club can still draw level on points with league leaders Bystander A with a 6-0 victory when the y meet on Wednesday but the newly introduced rule at this years AGM of final positions being determined by total dolls it seems impossible that even a 6-0 result for the Premier league champions for several seasons will enable them to retain their crown for 2024! The A section is already sorted before this week’s game with Red Lion A finishing as Champions and the Plum Pudding runners up. Both sides have done well and with their respective handicaps and performances have managed to influence the outcome of the final league tables having taken points off all of the Premier sides during the season.
Abingdon Con Club have secured the C section as champions but the runners up spot is still to be decided and if The Bell B secure 4 points from their final game at the Waggon & Horses on Wednesday they will ensure they cannot be caught as their nearest rivals are the Boundary House can only watch and wait as their week 10 fixture is a bye and even a 4-2 victory for the Bell should be good enough with only 4 dolls separating the 2 teams! Finally the B section is sorted with Stanford in the Vale FC once again winning the league with the other Bell side finishing runners up.
Week 18 Round-up (but not the last game)
So what about last week’s fixtures and results? Well the most notable result in the Premier was Plum Pudding’s 4-2 win over Abingdon United@Con Club which effectively brought to an end, at least for one season, Abingdon United’s brilliant and long domination of the Premier section having won it for every season since 2014. United, as they have done throughout the season, set themselves very high standards and as usual both Dave Dix and Phil Adams led the way with 14 and 12 dolls and Phil’s 12 included another maximum 6, but a solid team performance from the Plum saw them notch 24 dolls to win the first leg and United then hit 29 dolls to take the second leg before a very narrow third leg saw the Plum edging it 28-27. An overall good performance from the Plum with solid scoring throughout with Terry Downes and “Bert” Chambers both scoring 9 to top the individual scoring for the home side.
Bystander took full advantage with Jason Bowler netting 13 dolls and Dave Hudson another double figure score when they beat the College Oak 6-0 with consistently good leg scores of 25, 28 and 28 and although the Oak also scored well with legs of 22, 21, and 27 it just wasn’t enough to stop the Bystander gaining maximum points and one hand on the Premier trophy!
Elsewhere Berinsfield made in 10 points from their last 2 games, in what has been a lean season by their standards when they overcame Steventon Sports 4-2 and Richard Jones with 13 dolls top scored which included a maximum 6. Also in the Premier/A section The Vine had a welcome 4-2 victory over the already A section Champions Red Lion A. Roy Harrison top scored for The Vine alongside Danny Hamilton both with 9 dolls, but needing 1 for double figures the normally Mr Consistent Dan with 9 dolls to his name managed to record his first “blob” of the season in the 3rd leg!
In the B section Abingdon United C lost for the first time in 10 weeks going down 5-1 at The Fox despite a 10 doll haul from Matt Ashmall. Stanford in the Vale FC’s 6-0 victory over the Croft Bar clinched the B section championship for them. William Glen with 12 dolls and Darren Bungay in support with 9 led the way for the football club who are the “boomerang” team of Abingdon Aunt Sally as they seem to spend their seasons with alternate spots in both the A and B sections! For the Croft a really good season is tailing off with them gaining only 1 point from their last 3 games!
The C section saw Boundary House winning 5-1 making a late bid for the runners up spot in their defeat of The Bear & Ragged Staff. The Waggon & Horses beat the Eight bells 4-2 and there were 3-3 draws between The Bell Grove B and the Royal Oak and between the Grapes A and the Prince of Wales.
In the D section a fine 10 dolls from Darren Mace was not good enough to stop Berinsfield B sealing a 5-1 result. Harwellian A won 6-0 at the Brewery Tap and Queens Arms won 4-2 at home to the College Oak B. Steve Dingle was the sections highest individual scorer clanging off 11 dolls for The Plough when they drew 3 apiece and it was a similar result between The Lamb A and The Chequers.
Bystander B (now playing at their original home at the Fox, Boars Hill) were 5-1 winners against the North Star A in the E section and Marcham Centre A overcame Hanney RBL, Wheatsheaf inflicted another defeat on the Horse & Jockey A side despite Dave Stallard registering the highest individual score of the season for the Jockey with 8 dolls and Kate Dewar also set her personal highest of the season for Steventon Sports B 5-1 who were winners at the RAL Social.
There were 6-0 wins for both the Fleur de Leys B and the Bystander C sides over North Star B and Marcham Centre B. The Plough Appleton and Sutton Courtenay FC shared the points and the Horse & Jockey B were 5-1 victors over Grove Rugby Club in the E section.
Competitions
So it’s the last week of the league, but tomorrow night the much delayed team 3’s and team 4’s competitions will take place at the Croft Bar, next week it’s the turn of Abingdon United to stage the Finals Night when the finals of the 3’s and 4’s will take place together with the team 8’s final and the finals of both the Captain’s and Secretaries Competitions the earlier rounds have already taken place on Competition Sunday and the 8’s in previous weeks.
The final competition to be held will be the Founders & Legends trophy which is open to all registered players aged 50 plus! This requires no pre-entry just turn up on the night which will be held next week on Thursday 19th (yes the day after Finals night I know, but there aren’t many days of late Summer left!) at Abingdon Conservative Club with a 7.30pm start.
For your diaries the last event of the season is our Annual Presentation Night which includes the semi finals and finals of both the Pairs and Singles Competitions, the semi and finalists all earned the right by qualifying at the Competition Sunday back in early August. This event will, this year, due to the unavailability of Abingdon United, be held at the Croft Bar Abingdon on Friday October 4th. More details to follow.
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