Banbury Chestnuts jumped back to the top of Division 2 in the Kennington Bowls Specialists Oxford & District League, beating Woodstock comfortably and condemning them to relegation.

The result leaves the Banbury side needing just two points at home to South Oxford this evening to guarantee their promotion for the third successive year.

City & County look favourites to join them in Division 1 next season after their 4-2 win against a battling Blackbird Leys team, who are themselves fighting a relegation battle.

South Oxford only have a slim chance of promotion after narrowly losing out on the points they needed as they drew at home with Headington.

In Division 4, Chadlington beat leaders OUP 4-2, and now face the two teams above them to decide who goes up to Division 3.

Morris Motors, who narrowly missed out on promotion last year, dropped valuable points at Hanborough and remain in third place behind Witney Town.

Rover caused the upset of the day in Division 1, thumping second-placed Summertown on their own green and taking the points 5-1.

This result puts defending champions Carterton well ahead on points with just two games to go, and gives the Rover side a great chance of staying in Division 1 next season.

Cotswold need a victory at home to third-placed Kidlington this evening to guarantee their promotion from Division 3, after seeing off Chipping Norton 5-1 away from home.

East Oxford bounced back into second spot with victory at Charlbury, and now need good results against the bottom two clubs to return to Division 2.

Bloxham are relegated for the second season running after losing 6-0 to in-form Witney Mills.

RESULTS

Division 1

Summertown 66 (1pt), Rover 95 (5): P Mabbutt 26, F Cox 16; R Hewson 11, C Earl 30; C Allen 15, M Bracewell 21; M Charlett 14, P Comley 28.

West Witney (3), Bicester (3) cancelled due to weather.

Carterton 74 (4), Banbury Central 63 (2): C Walker 17, J Tee 21; A Wise 16, L Campion 18; P Justin 20, K McNeil 14; R Clanfield 21, P Norton 10.

Division 2

Woodstock 69 (1), Banbury Chestnuts 85 (5): R Collet 29, D Bryant 22; M Morgan 15, E Hilton 22; G Read 13, A Northcote 22; M Baylis 12, D Munslow 19.

City & County 77 (4), Blackbird Leys 75 (2): B Slatter 16, M Gleeson 24; L Lacey 24, H Payne 12; P Futter 23, M Major 22; M Philpott 14, R Brain 17.

South Oxford 73 (3), Headington 74 (3): G Joiner 23, C Harris 16; G Young 11, R Pyniger 24; N Woodward 17, B Foster 16; B Moss 22, J Floyd 18.

Division 3

Bloxham 59 (0), Witney Mills 100 (6): D Morse 18, J Mott 26; A Nicholls 16, F Dawson 20; J Hay 15, M Wickson 26; J Lucas 10, R Barnett 28.

Charlbury 74 (1), East Oxford 81 (5): R Thornton 14, L Eltringham 27; J Stevens 26, K Gibbons 10; C Hurst 15, R Mortimer 20; K Fawdrey 19, L Vaughan 24.

Chipping Norton 63 (1), Cotswold 93 (5): P Pauling 18, N Satchell 16; J Quinn 12, M East 25; K Field 15, K Brown 22; S Jones 18, J Powell 30.

Division 4

Chadlington 91 (4), OUP 75 (2): P Heath 14, A Ratley 22; A Bishop 36, W Major 16; P Radbone 14, J Butler 27; R Arthur 27, J Trinder 10.

Hanborough 77 (5), Morris Motors 72 (1): G Busby 18, B Adams 16; J Edwards 21, P Gibson 17; I Stallwood 13, T Ward 28; C Oliver 25, B Tucker 11.

Florence Park 55 (3), Begbroke 51 (3): T Patterson 10, D Nash 14; A Thomas 23, G Phillips 8; B Thomas 14, E Woodmore 16; R Benwell 8, T Lee 13.