Horse & Harrow were crowned Oxfordshire team champions after a 3-2 victory over Nelson in the final, writes PETE EWINS.

Harrow raced into a 3-0 lead to seal victory, before Nelson won the last two legs.

Peter Welch took the opening leg, beating Mark Trafford 8,700-7,000.

The second game saw Pauline Withey lose to Maxi McDonnell.

With Keith and Steven Sheard drawn fourth and fifth, Nelson were hoping that Gary Johnson would slip up.

But he opened up with 8,000 against Kevin Godfrey, who replied with 5,000.

However, Godfrey broke down to let in Johnson again to secure a 3-0 lead.

Keith Sheard scored a break of 10,000 to beat Pete Burton in leg four, with Steven Sheard rattling up 16,000 in the last game.

  • BERINSFIELD’S Geoff Mace saw off the challenge of Democrat’s John Patey 2-0 in the Oxford & District League’s Pat Webber Cup, while Alan Lowe knocked out Phil Clark.

In the Never Won Cup, Dave Gordon defeated Craig Mace 2-0.

Simon Ellam beat Mark Trafford on aggregate, including a winning break of 6,800 in the Off the Spot competition.

OTHER RESULTS

Off the Spot competition: M Murphy bt S Atkins, S FLorey bt B Allsworth, J Florey bt D Tooke, D Rose bt A Lacey.

Men’s Individual: D Rose bt A Lacey.

  • OXFORDSHIRE’S Keith Sheard just failed in his bid to become All-England Singles Champion at Reading.

Sheard beat Martin Russell (Kent), Bob Chapple (Guern-sey) and Andy Chambers (Northants), but could manage only a single leg win over new champion Nigel Senior.

This meant Sheard finished second in the group with six points.

  • THE ladies’ county singles semi-finals and final takes place on Saturday at the Lamb & Flag Hailey.

SEMI-FINAL DRAW

P Withey v S Atkins, M Standbridge v J Abbott.

TONIGHT’S MATCHES

Premier & Section 1: Masons B v Vikings B, Kennington v Democrats, Berinsfield v Cowley Workers, Didcot CC v Masons A

Section 2: Gladiators A v Plough Bicester, HCC v Comrades, Dolphin v Marlborough, Shelley v Gladiators B.