OXFORDSHIRE fought back in tremendous style to retain their Division 1 status in the final round of matches at Halifax.

Needing two wins from their three matches to stay up, Oxon's prospects looked bleak after they crashed 8-2 to hosts Yorkshire in their opening game.

But they bounced back with 6-4 wins over fellow strugglers Leicestershire and eventual champions Northumberland to beat the drop.

In the match against Leicestershire, Oxon won the first three men's singles and the ladies' singles.

Leicestershire hit back with four wins, but Oxon took the men's doubles through Eddie Herrity and Karl Bushell, the latter then teaming up with Janet Brown in the mixed doubles to clinch victory.

Oxon then ensured their survival by becoming the only side to beat Northum- berland.

Bushell, Nat Richardson and Herrity all posted singles wins.

Richardson and Bushell took the men's doubles in the fifth, and Brown and Bushell then took the mixed in four sets to clinch victory.

RESULTS

Senior Midland League: Oxford 4, Loughborough 6.

OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Division 1: Vikings A 1, Forum B 9 (K Bushell 3, F Harris 3); RAL 1, Forum A 9 (K Bushell 3, C Campbell 3).

Division 2: Forum C 8 (D Baskerville 3), Begbroke A 2; Holton A 7 (S Mangels 3), Gladiators 3; Morris Motors 4, Bicester A 6 (A Jogi 3).

Division 3: Vikings D 9 (K Rae 3, M Aistrop 3), Morris Motors C 1; Begbroke B 5, Bicester B 5 (N Winman 3); Haddenham B 6 (J Cripps 3), Vikings C 4.

Division 4: St James B 4 (T Strange 3), Forum E 6; Forum H 6, Morris Motors 4.

Division 5: Bicester D 4, Holton C 6; Morris Motors 5, St James C 5 (R Ford 3).

DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

St James E 2 (T Borrowdale 2), Forum M 3; Bicester E 2, St James D 3 (P Guest 2); Forum L 0, Forum I 5 (L Gubbins 2, L Christer 2).

OXFORD JUNIOR LEAGUE

Gruesome Twosome 4 (L Sheppard 2), Great Two 1; Super M's 3, Bicester 2 (J Moore 2); Snooker Balls 4 (R Didcock 2), The Batters 1; Begbroke Boys 1, Kylemat 4 (J Lee 2); Gruesome Twosome 5 (L & M Sheppard 2), Bicester 0; Great Two 2, Kylemat 3 (L Sheppard 2); Super M's 5 (M Morris 2, M Burns 2), Kidlington 0; Snooker Balls 3 (R Didcock 2), Cherwell 2; Begbroke Boys 4 (G May 2), The Batters 1.

DIDCOT & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Div 1: Rutherford B 5, Drayton A 5; Didcot Power Station A 1, Abingdon B 9 (M Newns 3, G Freeman 3).

Div 2: Abingdon C 9 (R Whiteaway 3, P O'Regan 3), Letcombe B 1; Sutton C 9 (P Wiblin 3, B Hanks 3), Howbery A 1.

Div 3: Moreton A 10 (R Templeman 3, I Royle 3, P Cheong 3), Howbery B 0.

Div 4: Sutton G 4, Moreton C 6 (J Cheong); Moreton C 5 (J Cheong 3), Abingdon H 5; Drayton F 5, Didcot Power Station F 5 (G Wheeler 3); Grove 7, Sutton G 3 (P Oakley 3); Wallingford 8 (C Bowen 3, Luke Sherratt 3), Rutherford E 2.

Handicap Shield - Group A: Howbery A 7 (E Hasker 3, C Hasker 3), Sutton C 2; Moreton A 9 (J Cheong 3, I Royle 3, P Cheong 3), Didcot Power Station F 0. Group B: Abingdon G 4 (B Muller 3), Rutherford E 5. Group C: Drayton D 6 (S Collins 3, R Stocker 3), Grove 3. Group D: Abingdon H 1, Drayton E 8 (P Randle 3, I Stuart 3). Group E: Drayton B 3, Didcot Power Station E 6 (D Crossley 3); Letcombe C 7 (T Saunders 3), Drayton F 2. Group F: Letcombe A 4, Rutherford C 5; Rutherford D 3, Moreton C 6. Group G: Didcot Power Station D 5, Abingdon E 4; Howbery B 3, Moreton B 6. Group H: Sutton F 9 (G Bosse 3, C Noyes 3, I Bell 3), Sutton G 0.

Bidmead Cup: Abingdon 7 (R Cowan 3, B Muller 3), Rutherford 2.