LEAGUE games took a break this week as the singles competitions took place.

The Oxford singles were played at four different venues, with eight players battling through to the play-offs.

At Garsington Sports, what was an anticipated exciting second round draw between world champion Rob Bradford (White House) and the singles holder Chris Jenkins (Gladiators A) turned out to be a damp squid, as Jenkins failed to trouble the doll in the first leg and only set two in the next, with Bradford securing an easy 2-0 win.

Bradford was then beaten by Paul Sawyer (Bletchington Sports), who pulled off the shock of the night with a 2-1 win.

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Phil Austin (White House) made the quarter finals without dropping a leg across three rounds, including victories over his teammates Dick Walsh and Darren Grant.

An impressive line-up at Masons Arms saw James Bennett (The New Club) overcome last year’s runner-up Andy Beal (Gladiators A), before he was beaten six-time runner-up Kevin Baker (Gladiators A).

Baker made it through on three sticks, following an earlier round win against Ray Grant (North Leigh FC) and will joined by Adrian Shepherd (The New Club).

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At The Chequers, Scott Thompson (Gladiators A) progressed to the quarter finals for the first time, with a three sticks win over Adam Baker (Donnington Club A) ensuring safe passage.

Billy Trinder (George A), who lost in the 2019 final, edged past Steve Ducker (Red Lion Kidlington) in a low-scoring game.

Played at The George, Mick Phipps and Steve McAteer (both White House) completed the line-up for the Oxford singles.

Phipps was involved in long thrillers against 2016 winner Pete Rampton (Red Lion Kidlington) and his own teammate in Roger Goodall.

Against Goodall, Phipps won the opening leg 2-1 on three sticks, after it was tied 3-3. In a long second leg which finished 5-5, then 3-3 on three sticks and 1-1 on one stick, it was then 4-4 on six sticks.

Three sticks could not provide a winner as they both blobbed out, and Goodall then failed to trouble the doll in the one stick shoot-out. Phipps then clanged off the doll to see him through.

McAteer came up against Steve Buckle (The Blackbird), with the opening leg tied 3-3, as was the three-sticker.

One stick was then also tied, and back-to-back six sticks produced another tie as it finished 4-4.

McAteer finally won the leg 2-1 on three sticks, and a maximum six in the next leg ultimately saw him through.

In the Ted Houghton singles, two-time runner-up Brian Reidy (The Tandem) will take on first time finalist Henry Johnson (Kidlington FC).