Drayton A reduced Marlborough C’s lead in Didcot & District League Division 1 to five points by sweeping past RAL A 8-2, writes Dan Church.

Karl Bushell and Greg Boone grabbed maximums for the victors, sending the visitors towards their sixth win in eight games.

Marlborough C stumbled to a narrow victory themselves after edging past rivals Marlborough B 6-4.

Braces from Nathaniel Richardson and Ray Powell proved to be the deciding factor in a hotly-contested derby, leaving the B team four points adrift of safety in the bottom three.

In Division 2, Marlborough D moved into the top three with an 8-2 success at home to Moreton C 8-2.

Teifion Chamberlain’s maximum was consolidated by doubles from teammates Andy Jeffrey and Michael Jones Title contenders Upton A were awarded a 10-0 victory away to Abingdon B, who scratched, and are now seven just points behind leaders Drayton B with two games in hand.

The only victory in Division 3 came at Letcombe C, where Wallingford triumphed 6-4.

Dave Quinn starred for the visitors with a treble, while Jason Turner chipped in with a brace.

Wallingford’s sixth win of the year propels them up to second place, with Letcombe hovering above the dreaded dotted line in seventh.

Drayton F pulled off a 7-3 home win over leaders Marlborough F to take over at the top of Division 4.

Finlay Greenfield’s treble set the ball rolling for their fifth victory of the season.

DIDCOT LEAGUE RESULTS

Div 1: Abingdon A 4, RAL B 6 (A Markvardsen 3); Letcombe A 6 (R Taylor 3), Moreton A 4; Moreton B 3, Marlborough A 7 (A Noke 3); RAL A 2, Drayton A 8 (K Bushell 3, G Boone 3); Marlborough B 4, Marlborough C 6.

Div 2: Abingdon B 0, Upton A 10; Marlborough D 8 (T Chamberlain 3), Moreton C 2; Drayton D 4, Abingdon B 6 (D Smart 3).

Div 3: Grove A 5 (S Osborne 3), Letcombe B 5; Moreton D 5, Sutton C 5 (C Silaghi 3); Letcombe C 3, Wallingford 7 (D Quinn 3).

Div 4: RAL E 5, Letcombe D 5 (M Emanuel 3); Drayton F 7 (F Greenfield 3), Marlborough F 3.

Div 5: Abingdon E 5, Grove B 5 (K Osborne 3).