Holders Newtrim retained the Carslberg Oxford & District League's Atox Cup with victory over Ashton in the final at RBL Littlemore.

The Newtrim trio of Simon Aries, David Baker and Bob Chivers were a class act.

Baker, in particular, was in brilliant form, winning all four of his games on the night with consummate ease.

In the final, Baker beat Nobby Noble 75-40, Chivers beat Terry Chambers 75-29, and Aries beat Tony Brayshaw 75-55.

In the second phase, Baker again beat Noble 75-51 to give Newtrim an unassailable 4-0 lead.

In the semi-final, Baker had been tested by Roger Coenen, of Rileys A, but he soon got into his stride with a superb 46 unfinished break, winning 75-66, 75-40.

In the opening match, Rileys' Dave Morgan produced some of his best form to take the opening game from Aries 75-20, but Aries took the second 75-44.

In the third encounter, Chivers took the first game from Warner Page 75-34, but Page took the second 75-51, however, Newtrim were already through to the final by then, winning 4-2 in about one-and-a-half hours.

The other semi-final between Ashton and Morris Motors was a marathon affair, lasting almost three-and-a-half hours and decided in the end on aggregate, with Ashton squeezing through by just five points, 338-333, after it finished level at 3-3.

Going into the final game, Motors had a 43-point lead and needed only 33 points to win, but Brayshaw had other ideas and refused to surrender without a fight.

He was playing Doug Baker, whom he had beaten 75-46 in the first game, and he started slowly but surely to open his scoring with a painstaking 32 break.

This put Baker under pressure, and he struggled to find form. Baker got to 27, needing only six more points, while Brayshaw needed 16, but it was Brayshaw who got them to take Ashton through 75-27.

Earlier Bob Hayward, of Morris Motors, beat Noble 75-27, 75-48, while Chambers and Roger Tomlin halved their match 75-30, 33-75.

Meanwhile, Newtrim are back at the top of Division 1 after their 2-1 win over Oracle.

They lead by a point from CCC A, who in turn lead Rileys A, also by a point.

Second division leaders Witney crashed 3-0 to Morris Motors, leaving both sides with 29 points apiece, although Witney have a game in hand.

HCC A picked up their first win in five weeks, beating New Club 2-1, while Thame beat Rileys A 2-1.

Oracle 1, Newtrim 2; Thame 2, Rileys A 1; HCC A 2, New Club 1; Eynsham 2, CCC A 1; Rileys B 1, Crown House 2; Morris Motors 3, Witney 0.