BUDMOUTH B continue to top Division One by a solitary point after their 30-8 win over Budmouth C.

Budmouth B did not have it all their own way but they came through with a maximum 30 points.

Shaun Beauchamp (3) gave Will Jolliffe a real scare and Robin Prince (3) almost got the better of Ethan Gear. Tom Lydford (2) took legs off Gear and Jamie Blair but Budmouth B maintained the pressure on both Budmouth A and Park District.

The aforementioned Park District also secured a maximum in a 30-4 victory over YMCA.

Steve White (3) and Andy Webb (1) secured the Dorchester outfit’s only points of the evening with White having surrendered a 2-1 lead against Richard Wilshere.

Budmouth A dropped what could be a couple of crucial points in their 28-4 success over bottom team, Springfield B.

Moses Lewis (7) suffered a rare defeat at the hands of Paul Arnold (4) but that was the only success for Springfield B as Tom Cherry (9) and Brad Burroughs (9) ensured Budmouth A keep in touch with the leaders.

Red Triangle scored a good win over Colliton X in a close 22-17 result. Derrick Dawson (9) top scored for the Portlanders, ably supported by Tony Reed (7) and Mike Spracklen (6).

Preston B went into their final home match hoping to record a first win from the second half of the season. At the halfway stage, they led 10-9. However, Shipton Gorge A had not read the script and took a lead of 18-16 going into the doubles with Miranda

Edwardes picking up eight

legs in her singles.

Roger Lovell (7) and Josh Harman (7) took the first two legs of the doubles and could be forgiven in thinking they had secured that elusive win. Shipton had other ideas though and took the third leg 15-13 before Edwardes and Terry Whitworth (7) staged a gritty comeback clinching the final two legs for a 21-18 win.

Pilgrims A won their penultimate match of the season 20-14 against Springfield C to stay top of Division Two, for now at least.

Tim Scott (9) top scored for the victors with Steve Rook (6) for Springfield C.

Shipton Gorge B remain nicely placed in second after a convincing 28-7 triumph over Colliton C.

Brian Cammell (7) dropped two legs to Andy Ray (4) in Shipton’s only blip of the evening.

Preston A closed the gap on All Saints in second after a thrilling 21-20 win over Shipton Gorge C.

Locked at 18-18 going into the doubles, it was Eddie Chapman (5) and Simon Green (9) that secured the victory with a fifth set win over Dan Corren (6) and Tom Baldry (7).

A crucial match for both Preston C and Wyke D near the bottom of the table ended in an 22-18 win for the latter. Right up to the last singles, there was only one point between them but then Wyke nudged ahead as the two team captains, Dave Clegg (6) and Ian South (5) fought a very close battle before they put the result beyond doubt winning the doubles.

The top two went head to head in Division Three with table-toppers STEPS coming out on top

21-16 over Springfield D.

STEPS showed their class in the doubles when David Moth (8) and Richard Wood (8) were unable to gain the points needed to inflict a first defeat on STEPS.

In a night where no one player was able to win all three matches, there was some excellent attacking play by all involved. STEPS M had a 30-5 win over Pilgrims B, which included a marathon five-setter between Jonah Corren (9) and Alec Bailey (2). Roy Sharp scored a maximum in Wyke C’s 26-9 success over Budmouth E. Ella Stanton (5) and Jaimee Browne (3) scored Budmouth’s two wins. Wey Valley School beat Preston D 22-10 with Thomas Wheeler and Ethan Bingham both scoring maximum points.