PIRATES continued their march to another Puriton & District Skittles League Division 1 title with a comprehensive 47-pin defeat of Polden Turkeys at Red Tile.

Captain Roger Palfrey led the way with 71, closely assisted by Liam Birch with 70.

Best for Polden Turkeys was Andy Stone with 62.

Farmer Boys lost more ground in the race to the title after they lost by 10 at home to bottom team Crown Jewels and are now eight points behind with only four games to play.

Will Puddy hit the highest score for Farmer Boys with 69, while Russ Myers’ 63 was best for Crown Jewels.

Woolavington Boys remain in third after a close-fought victory over Somerset Vaults, who pulled pins on each of the last four hands, but not enough to claw back the 24 pins they lost on the first three hands and ran out losers by seven.

Martin Baker did the damage for Woolavington Boys with spares in his first three hands in his total of 77, while John Hill top scored for Somerset Vaults with 66.

With Wasters hitting their highest home score of the season in defeating Stop-Outs by nine, they remain in fourth, Steve Hembery top scoring with 60.

However, the scramble to avoid the third relegation place has intensified as last week’s third-from-bottom team Barstewards ran out winners by seven at home to Nomads, who could not build on last week’s win. Captain Dave Quick did the damage with 60.

Foxes & Ferrets had a 70-pin win over Knowle Otters, who had six men hitting fewer than 50, although Glyn Hawkes got 68, which was matched by Mike Simpson of the victorious team who was assisted by Les Macriner, who hit 67.

In Division 2, it is now officially a twoteam race for the title, as Crusaders and Landlords Rejects both recorded wins – Crusaders by 38 at home to Huntspill Boys, with Shaun Haggett starting with four consecutive spares in his hand of 82.

Landlords Rejects had a much closer game, just pipping Herdsmen by a pin at Bason Bridge Inn. Sean Heyward and Scott Gardiner needed 10 between them for the win and they got five each.

However, hero of the night for the victors was Daryl Underhill with 75 , which was one better than Gary Wall for the home team.

The race for the third promotion place is very tight with Wheatsheaf Boys joining Oddsquad on 38 points after a 24- pin home win over Rofugees, with Ben Richards getting 63 for the victors and Nick Taylor and Adam Reed 56 for the defeated team.

Oddsquad missed the chance to go clear in third as they went down by three in their ‘away’ match with stablemates Swannies, despite leading by 24 after four hands.

Swannies just pecked away at the lead with good contributions from Alan Ellis with 64 and Gary Palmer on 63.

Best for Oddsqaud was Ollie Puddy with 60.

In the Weare-Cross derby, 3 Cees were undone on their own alley by bottom team Cross Your Hart, who seem to be finding some late season form.

Dan Leiper led the way for the victors with 80 and was assisted by Steve Watts with 75 and Nick Randall with 70.

Grey Sugg was once again top scorer for the home team with 69.