Defending Section 1 champions Frilford Heath suffered a rare home setback when they went down 2-1 to Ellesborough in an epic Shaw & Co Oxfordshire Foursomes League clash.

Two of the ties went to last hole. Both resulted in wins for the visitors as Tom Lawson and John Coggins edged out Dave King and John Cronly, and Mike Armitage and Jim Mortimer acounted for Alex Gavriliovic and Tom Fleming.

Frilford's Ashley Walton and Sam Bourgein dismissed any chance of a whitewash with a comfortable success.

The new leaders are Studley Wood, who trounced Hadden Hill 3-0 in one of the league's most convincing victories.

Austin Siggers and Simon Bulman thrashed Mark Greenwood and Rob Perry 8 & 6 in the top match, while Studley's other two pairs also won easiily.

Oxford City stretched their lead in Section 2 with a 3-0 success at home to Tadmarton Heath, their biggest win coming from Clive Bowler and John Summers.

Newcomers Shrivenham Park maintained their unbeaten record in Section 4 with a 2-1 win at Waterstock.

SHAW & CO OXFORDSHIRE

FOURSOMES LEAGUE

Section 1

Frilford Heath 1 (1pt), Ellesborough 2 (3) (Frilford first): D King & J Cronly lost to T Lawson & J Coggins 1 hole; A Gavrilovic & T Fleming lost to M Armitage & J Mortimer 1 hole; A Walton & S Bourgein bt C Pearce & G Cox 4 & 3.

Studley Wood 3 (4), Hadden Hill 0 (0) (Studley Wood first): A Siggers & S Bulman bt M Greenwood & R Perry 8 & 6; C Drew & S Jenkins bt P Chana & R Hare 3 & 2; J Fathers & A Sutton bt R Lyons & J Hawkins 4 & 3.

Section 2

Oxford City 3 (4), Tadmarton Heath 0 (0) (Oxford City first): A Wootton & M Hall bt S Boote & R Hunt 1 hole; D Summers & I Bound bt S Hallam & I Manning 3 & 1; C Bowler & J Summers bt A Mason & R Manley 5 & 4.

Chipping Norton 3 (4pts), Brailes 0 (0) (Chipping Norton first): L Thorpe & S Allen bt K Guy & P Gibbs 4 & 3; D Hicks & G Reynolds bt M Fisher & R Stott 3 & 2; A Johnson & M Stanton bt A Sheffield & S Pendleton 2 holes.

Section 4

Carswell 2 (3 ), Witney Lakes ( ) (Carswell first): J Leeson & J Hunt halved with P Wiliamson & R Brooks; B Durham & R Pitt bt A Long & G Woodward 2 & 1; P Clements & R Bower bt J Timms & R Langton 4 & 3.

Waterstock 1 (1), Shrivenham 2 (3) (Waterstock first): P Hingley & D Hill lost to T White & A Thomas 6 & 4; M Honer & G Hazeldine lost to T Chester & M Pook 3 & 1; P Tipping & A Langton bt G Long & P Godding 4 & 3.

SATURDAY'S FIXTURES

Section 1: Hadden Hill v Ellesborough, Frilford Heath v The Oxfordshire, Burford v Studley Wood.

Section 2: Chipping Norton v Tadmarton Heath, Bicester v North Oxford.

Section 3: Magnolia Park v Buckingham, Mentmore v Rye Hill.

Section 4: Drayton Park v The Wychwood.