Banbury West End B were grateful for the heroics of two 14-year-olds as they drew 4.5-4.5 with North Oxford E in Men's Division 3 of the 3-Pair Wilson Inter-Club League.
Only able to field two pairs, West End found themselves trailing 3-0 before a ball had been hit. And when North Oxford saw two youngsters arrive, they must have thought they had the match in the bag.
But Will Ward and Matthew Bloomfield had other ideas.
Ward partnered Jeremy Turner at first pair and the duo turned on the style to win all three rubbers.
Bloomfield teamed up with Peter Dickens as the other West End pair, and they claimed 1.5 points to lead their side to an unlikely draw.
In the top flight, Oxford City dropped just a half in an 8.5-.5 thumping of Cholsey.
Mark Wallace and Geoffrey Deeley had few problems at first pair, with Stefan van Erven and Eamonn Deeley also unbeaten.
Patrick Warburton and Steve Buckley picked up the sole Cholsey score.
Thame brushed aside the challenge of Bicester to run out 7.5-1.5 winners.
Nigel King and Doug Struthers dropped just eight games as they romped to a clean sweep.
Martin Doherty and Pete Tuffrey kept their nerve to give Bicester B a 5-4 victory over Banbury B.
Going into the final round of matches level at 3-3, Doherty and Tuffrey claimed the crucial rubber 7-5 in the third set to see their side home.
RESULTS
Ladies Div 1: Cholsey 4.5, Bicester 4.5. Div 2: Banbury West End 3, Witney 6.
Men's Div 1: Oxford City 8.5, Cholsey .5; Abingdon 6.5, Witney 2.5; Bicester 1.5, Thame 7.5. Div 2: Banbury B 4, Bicester B 5; Goring 4.5, Banbury 4.5; North Oxford C 2.5, Oxford City B 6.5. Div 3: North Oxford E 4.5, Banbury West End B 4.5; Abingdon C .5, Thame B 8.5; Witney B 1.5, Abingdon B 7.5. Div 4: Woodstock B 7.5, Bicester C 1.5; Banbury C 7, Oxford Spts C 2; Witney C 5, North Oxford F 4. Div 5: Oxford Spts D 4.5, Mapledurham 4.5; Bicester D 5.5, North Oxford G 2.5.
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