Happy New Year, everyone! Great to be back down the alley this week, after the two-week festive hiatus. Christmas is all very well, but really all that matters is skittles... A mixed bag of results this time, with some teams clearly feeling the effects of over-celebration whilst others were champing at the bit. Pace-setters Lads' Night Out were on song, whitewashing Newcomers to stretch their lead to 13 points. Newcomers put up a fight, but LNO did what was required taking the tight 2nd 38-35 thanks to an 11 spare from skipper Alan, and getting over the line in the 5th, 35-33. Alan Pointer finished with 36, backed up by 33 from Martin Hough for the Lads. Last Six overcame a strong Gutter Nutters challenge to win 6-4, and hold on to 2nd spot. This was a close contest, with the 2nd & 5th decided by 2 pins and only one separating the teams in the 4th. Captain Dave rested himself for the Nutters, so it was Mal Gillan (35) who tussled with Jez Denton (37) in the anchor spot and a returning Lee Crook (32) couldn't quite help his team win out. Jeremy's score was his best this season and takes him up to 3rd in the averages. Living On A Spare are two points further back after their 6-4 victory over Big 'Uns. LOAS might have been hoping for a point or two more after a solid start, but Big 'Uns used all their experience to sneak the second by a single, and finished strongly in the 5th to grab 4 points. Mark Guinney moves joint-top of the new player averages after his 34, and John Norris matched his score for his best effort this season. Biggest movers of the week are Remnants who shift to mid-table after their 10-0 thrashing of Splitz 'n' Giggles. It was Remnants best pin return of the season (185) and was tough on Splitz, who were solid but couldn't match their opponents. Ian Bell hit a majestic, spare-free 39, backed up by 34 from Keith Yapp as Remnants took the spoils. Cross Keys also hit their biggest total of the season (186) on the way to an 8-2 pummelling of Spare Ribs. Ribs were on great form in the run-up to Christmas, but clearly had too much sweet sherry! Keys started 2025 like an express train, hitting 38s in the 1st & 3rd and finishing with a season's best of 45 in the 5th, thanks to Geoff Arnold's 13-spare. Ribs managed to gather themselves to take the second leg and save their blushes. Geoff finished with a massive 37, with skipper Dave "Hollywood" Howse supporting with 33 - Keys’ lowest score was 27, so they look a team on the march, with games in hand of everybody else. Alsorts beat a jaded Best Sellers 6-4 on Tuesday night. Sellers’ pin average is the third best in the league, but they are now languishing in 10th after their 9th defeat in 11 games. ‘Sorts themselves were a bit off their game, but they brought enough to win out with a 40 leg to win the decisive 5th. Sellers started well (as they typically do) but fell apart for the 2nd & beer legs, before recovering to take the 4th. The only bright note for Best Sellers was the performance of new player Duncan Passey, who smacked a 13-spare on his way to his 36. Alsorts' best player was ever-reliable Martin Orme with 32. Finally, wooden-spoon challengers, Late Knights, shared the points with Maclean Smilers in a game that swung back and forth. Smilers started well, taking the first 36-30, but Knights hit back with a quick double to move in front by the end of the beer leg. Leg 4 was the lowest scoring of the night at 29 each, and then Smilers (Ma)cleaned up in the 5th to draw the match. Three players hit 33 for their best efforts this season - Huw Thomas & Richard Williams for Smilers and John Jeskins for Knights. There’s a full roster of 8 games coming up this week, including a double-header for Late Knights on Wednesday as we start to catch up some of the games postponed earlier this season. See you down there!

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Join us for our quiz night on Friday, 28th February, beginning at 8 pm. Our very own Mark Hoskins will be the Quizmaster, ably assisted by Andy Ives. It will be an entertaining evening, and skittles will naturally feature in some way, shape or form during the night. We will transform the hall into a German bierkeller for the evening. Thanks to the Wallingford 1155 Charity for loaning us the appropriate Oktoberfest furniture! Look out for Lederhosen, Pretzels and perhaps some German Beer. Tickets are sold (individually or as a team) via this page. Teams are a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 8. Entry tickets are £10 per person. Don't worry if you do not have a full team! We will place you at a table with other singletons, duos or trios. There will be freshly prepared curry available from the bar at an extra cost. Look out for notices on our Facebook page and at the bar on the night.