THE first division title race in the Bridgwater Town Ladies Skittle League is still alive as second-placed GWR Club A beat leaders Castle Club A away by 32 pins and are now six points adrift with three matches left to play.

Sharon Saunders, for the visitors, hit the highest away total of the season of 86, including a 24 double floppper, while Sue Stoodley topped the scoring for the home side with 66.

Blake Hall A (Mary Hart 69) leapfrogged Market A into second spot, winning at home by 29 pins, but both can still overtake the second-placed team with three matches to play.

Market B (Sue Lukins 72) are still not safe from the drop after losing at home to Crown Inn A by 29 pins, and are now third from bottom, three points above Sydenham Centre A (Vikky Dyte 63), who will need to win at least two of their remaining three games to avoid the drop after losing at home to Market D (Chris Braund 65) with the visitors pulling 12 on the last hand to win by five pins.

In Division 2, British Flag A (Mary Pollock 66) are now two points clear at the top after winning at home by 11 pins against Castle Club B as The Bunch Of Grapes B, who had been level with them at the top, lost away to Cross Rifles B (Lynn Hale 66) by 36 pins.

This means Lions Club B (Tina Woodberry 72) move into joint second with the Bunch.

Second from bottom Commercial Inn A beat bottom side Lions Club A by 18 pins, but look like they need a miracle to avoid the drop.

The joint league leaders of the third division played one another, and the home side, West India House, came out on top, defeating their guests, the New Forester A (Dee Buttle 63), by 16 pins, which means both sides still need to win games.

India House need to two more points for promotion and the Foresters four as it is still possible for the teams behind them to catch up, meaning the tightest finish in all three divisions for many a year.

It was a super match at the rugby club (Tracey Davenport 69) with the new team to the league this season winning by 20 with a hand to, hitting 51 against Sportsman, for whom Elaine Baker (67) hit the highest hand of the night, pulling 16 pins, but losing by four pins