OXFORD City's hopes of defending their Shaw & Co Oxfordshire Foursomes League Section 1 title were dealt a blow with a 2-1 defeat at Ellesborough.

City still lie second in the table, but either leaders Tadmarton Heath or third-placed Chipping Norton now look better placed.

Adam Wootton and Jon Payne thrashed Ellesborough's James Turner and Simon Invest 5 & 4 in match one.

But neither Mark Hall and Craig Marriot nor David Summers and Will Peddie came close to securing victory for City.

They have now lost three times this season - as many as they did in the whole of last year.

Burford gave themselves every chance of promotion from Section 2 after defeating Drayton Park 2.5-0.5.

They lead the table by three points with three matches remaining following their victory over second-placed Drayton.

John Wilks and Andy Barnett gave the hosts a great start, easing past Drayton's Simon Berry and Barry James 4 & 3 after starting with six straight pars.

Burford's Tom Potter and Andy Purdy were three down at the turn, but battled back to win the last hole and halve with Andy Elmey and Eddie Pepperell.

Simon Hopkins and Tom Green ran away with match three, trouncing Drayton's Andy Griffith and Andy Spencer 7 & 6.

Three birdies in five holes propelled Steve Smith and Glenn Oakes to victory, as North Oxford sealed an important 2.5-0.5 home win against Buckingham.

The Wychwood look set for a second successive promotion after going top of Section 3 with a 2-1 victory at home to Kirtlington.

Stewart Dalagarno and Phil Chisnell and Andy Bellfield and Will Hartnell both won their matches 4 & 3.

RESULTS

Section 1

Ellesborough 2 (3pts), Oxford City 1 (1) (Ellesborough first): J Turner & S Invest lost to A Wootton & J Payne 5 & 4, M Armitage & J Mortimer bt M Hall & C Marriott 4 & 3, D Eldridge & R Crisp bt D Summers & W Peddie 5 & 3.

Section 2

Burford 2.5 (3.5), Drayton Park 0.5 (0.5) (Burford first): J Wilks & A Barnett bt S Berry & B James 4 & 3, T Potter & A Purdy halved with A Elmey & E Pepperell, S Hopkins & T Green bt A Griffith & A Spender 7 & 6.

Magnolia Park 2 (3), The Oxfordshire 1 (1) (Magnolia Park first): S Bolton & S Cotter bt G Picker & P Green 5 & 4, M Stokes & P Lockett lost to C Hinton & P Spence 2 & 1, R Travis & J Kerrison bt T Cantel & M Foster 5 & 4.

North Oxford 2.5 (3.5), Buckingham 0.5 (0.5) (North Oxford first): Sh Smith & S Kimber bt D Robertson & A Lidgely 4 & 2, M & I Booth halved with B Howell & P Skinner, G Oakes & St Smith bt W Hearne & N Franklin 4 & 2.

Section 3

The Wychwood 2 (3), Kirtlington 1 (1) (The Wych- wood first): S Dalgarno & P Chisnell bt l Kennedy & J Bason 4 & 3, R Knight & B Cotton lost to N Marsh & P Slade 3 & 2, A Bellfield & W Hartwell bt M Giles & S Welfare 4 & 3.

Section 4

Waterstock 0 (0), Mentmore 3 (4) (Waterstock first): K Bohan & D Gascoyne lost to B Clark & B Harnett 8 & 6, M Bell & J Faruq lost to A Fairfield & C Viney 3 & 2, G Hazeldine & K Dempster lost to S Lee & R Eatly 2 & 1.

Rye Hill 2 (3), Carswell 1(1) (Rye Hill first): A Laird & K Moggridge bt A MacDonald & J Leeson 5 & 3, D Rix & P McClean lost to A Thomas & T Lightfoot 6 & 5, T Smithers & C Parsons bt D Smith & D Clarke 5 & 3.