Martock & District Skittles League
Welcome to the Martock & District Skittles League Website
This site is provided for use by all skittlers in the league (and anyone else interested) to find out what is happening – results, tables, meetings, cup finals, presentation nights, AGMs etc. If you have any comments or suggestions on how to improve the site contact one of the administrators. (email addresses on the Contact Us page).
LATEST NEWS
SWAN SHANKS HAVE MOVED!
Sadly, the Black Swan in Langport recently closed its doors. This required the Swan Shanks to quickly find a new alley. They have been lucky enough to be able to move back to the Crown Inn at Fivehead, where they will play their remaining fixtures this season. The closure of the Black Swan also means that Ham Boys “clash” fixtures at Eli’s will now be played at the King’s Head at High Ham. The Captain of teams affected should be (or have already been) contacted by Darren Cousins and Colin Rock. Interesting times!!
SKITTLES FOOD 2025-26
Here is the list of who is and isn’t doing food this season. Any errors or changes let Steve Lonton or Pete Wescott know. NOTE TO CAPTAINS OF TEAMS THAT DO NOT PROVIDE FOOD: Please ensure that the opposing Team Captain is aware of whether your team would like food when playing on their alley.
Steve’s Roving Report
Hello everyone,
5 league weeks left of the 2025/2026 season and nothing has been confirmed of the Division 1 title/relegation picture and the same for Division 2 in terms of the title/promotion picture and the fated Wooden Spoon is back up for grabs.
Division 1 is in Duke of York’s hands and they will feel they have that one hand tightening its grip on the league winners trophy and every win strengthens that possibility, they were home this week to a struggling Pornstars who have a battle of their own to not be sucked into the relegation places.
Stoke WMC keep chasing the leaders and hope for that one error that can get them closer but no errors can come from them now in their pursuit of back to back titles and they had a sticky match this week in the ‘Stoke Derby’ week as they hosted Seahawks who are more than capable of upsetting the odds in this match. 3rd placed Bakers Big Arms are keeping strong to the end of the season and they still mathematically can get in the title race providing they are near perfect. They were away this week to bottom placed Rusty Axe who are running out of games now to escape relegation. 4th placed Monkey Spankers host VIPS this week ad the home team are having a decent winning run again whilst VIPS are mixed in theirs. Mid-table Bakers Rogues hosted Nelsons Nomads with the latter not out of the relegation battle just yet and that’s because S Club 8 are shaking the relegation battle to its core as they are in decent form and they hosted mid-table Nobbys Nuts.
Division 2 leaders Lamb & Larks struck a massive blow in the title scene as they demolished Crown Shanks and with a 14 point lead and not many games left they are big favourites to wheel away the Division 2 title and they looked to strengthen that claim as they travelled to Bell Ash to face mid-table hosts Mandys Bell Boys. Crown Shanks massive loss was a big blow, but they are in a good situation with promotion a big possibility and they were away this week at Limington to face 2nd bottom Hotspots. Split Pins in 3rd harbour hopes of promotion and they had a strong chance as they were away to bottom team Thorns & Roses. 4th Place Dolphins look to continue decent form as they were in ‘Stoke Derby’ week as they hosted mid-table Stoke Buoys. Lord Nelson host Rosies Rebels and Ham Boys host Mucky Ducks in the 2 matches in the middle to lower end of the table.
Will Round 18 change anything!! Lets find out.
Division 1
We go firstly to Duke of York and the long time leaders and hosts are taking it step by step to get the league title and the next step was a tricky one as visitors Pornstars are having a battle of their own as they are entrenched in a relegation battle that is becoming more and more serious for them as results continue to drop away for them. The early going for Duke seemed to be a familiar tale as it was another slow start and although Liam Male and Steve Shire started well there was 3’s,4’s and 5s which blighted the hands and 50,46 was not the opening they wanted to put pressure on the Stars. Pornstars had a decent start and with Joe Gray getting a 12 spare it gave two hands of 59,46 to give them a 9 pin lead. The 2nd hand was tied so it was all important for Duke to get back in the game and win the 3rd hand for 2 points. Although spares were hard to come by Duke skittled well in the 3rd hand and a 57 hand was very decent which was also good because the 4th hand was 47 which was not great. A duck from Joe turned the match and despite two 9s from Dean Male 50,45 meant the match was all tied up and 3-1 in hands in favour of Duke. It was a last hands shootout for the win and Duke knew what they had to do to pressure Pornstars and score heavy when it matters most as Maurice Lee had a 9 spare and Steve Shire put in a Man of the Match performance as a 14 spare gave him a total of 53 and 58,55 hands meant two 57’s to win for the Stars. They got close but the early scoring was weak and despite Dean Male hitting a 12 spare for Pornstars top score of 49 the hands of 50,54 meant Duke ticked off the win with a 11-1 win by 9 pins to extend their lead at the top to 11 points and with 4 games to go its a significant lead. Pornstars slightly harsh loss means they drop into the bottom two and are 11th.
We go to Stoke Club for the first of the derbies here as we went to the top alley and to a significant game as the hosts and title chasing Stoke WMC are needing all the points they can muster to try to cut the gap to Duke in the hope that when they play them on the last game that there is everything to play for. The visitors were Seahawks who have had a drop in form and find themselves in mid-table, but although they weren’t favourites to take the win here they could certainly give Stoke WMC a big problem in terms of what the result might be. Stoke were decent to start off as 8s and 9s mainly with 6s and 7s flicked in meant 59,55 and an ok start at best. Seahawks put the pressure on and skittled well through the opening hands but anchorman Paul hit a vital 15 spare which changed the dynamic of the hands as 59,62 meant a 7 pin lead for Seahawks and both hands won. Stoke needed a big response as that wasn’t the start they were hoping for and Richie got them off to a flyer in the middle hands with a 15 spare and then the same happened in the first hands as 7’s, 8’s and 9s helped the cause and 57,66 was much better from them. Seahawks hoped to put real pressure on Stoke to increase the lead but the improved hands from Stoke had a big effect as scoring fell away a little and despite Luke with a 14 spare the hands were 49 and 61 which meant the lead had switched and it was now Stoke WMC with a 6 pin lead going into the final hands. It was Ricky’s turn for the spare as he got a 15 and the good scoring generally throughout the hands meant 61,62 meant two 65’s to win for Seahawks. This proved too big for Seahawks despite James getting an 11 spare as 56,48 meant that Stoke WMC won the derby 10-2 by 25 pins to now be 11 points behind and are running out of games to chase Duke down for the title. Seahawks are 6th.
We next go to Rusty Axe as the hosts and bottom team Rusty Axe are running out of matches if they are to get some winning form to save themselves from relegation and they had a tough task this week as the visitors were Bakers Big Arms who have a stranglehold on 3rd and need to continue form as mathematically they are still in with an outside chance of the top 2. Due to a very blurred photo of the scoreboard I couldn’t tell the scores but it was a very tight match with Big Arms 1 up after the first 2 hands and the same after 4 hands. Big Arms scraped over the line as they won 9-3 by 3 pins to stay 3rd.
Rusty Axe stay bottom and with games running out they look destined
for the drop.
Off to South Petherton Club and to hosts Monkey Spankers whose title aspirations are likely over for another season but they are a formidable team and in 4th at the moment will look to continue decent form they have got into recently. The visitors were VIPS who are scrapping away in the bottom half and are not safe yet so points were badly needed here for them. The first hands for Spankers were superb as Lewis Watts was on fire with opening spares of 13 and 16 and RJ with 14 gave great middle order scoring and 67,62 was a bullish start to proceedings. There was struggles at times for VIPS but Craig with two 9’s and Brian with 8 and a 13 spare gave the 2nd hand a decent score of 67 but the opening 52 was not good as Spankers were 10 up after the opening hands. A15 spare in the middle hands kept the momentum for Spankers but the rest of scoring was a bit abject as 53,63 was not the push that was needed for them in their quest for victory. Ken with a duck did not help matters for VIPS, but the bottom half scored well and Brian with a 17 spare gave VIPS a lifeline as the lead for Spankers was now 7 and the last 2 hands would be vital. Lewis was quality all night and a 3rd spare of 10 meant a cracking score of 62. A 13 spare after that gave good positivity to the final hands and 58,66 meant a chase of two 66’s to win for VIPS. That was too much despite a 9 spare from Callum and they couldn’t get anymore as they limped to 49,56 and the win was achieved for Monkey Spankers as they won 10-2 by 26 pins to stay 4th. VIPS need a win or 2 in the last few weeks to be safe as they are 8th.
Off we go to Bakers Arms at Martock to be entertained by hosts Bakers Rogues who have been very mixed this season and when you thin they are getting into decent form they lose a couple to kill that momentum, so they hoped to get a decent victory here as they were favourites against visitors Nelsons Nomads who like VIPS are not safe yet and need a victory or 2 to make things more certain to keep them safe for another season so all important for a positive result here for them. It was very steady from Rogues early on as 7s, 8s and the odd 9 was hit and 57,53 was a decent start for the hosts. Nomads in reply likewise were steady but 4s and 5s were in the scoring which crippled the hands slightly and totals of 54,52meant a slim 4 pin lead for Rogues. The middle hands for the hosts was very up and down but Paul H boosted the scores significantly with a 13 spare which meant the 4th hand was 62 which was needed as the 3rd hand was 47 so not quite the hands they wanted but not too bad. A 1 and a 2 from Ian and Adam derailed the hands somewhat and 42,52 meant the lead increased for Rogues to 19. Rogues were struggling a little bit in the final hands but Paul H finished with a top score of 50 and anchorman Maf Keates had 49 without a spare as they set Nomads 65,64 to win. Nomads gave it a good go but 60,52 meant they fell short as Bakers Rogues won 11-1 by 16 pins to stay in 5th. Nomads are still searching for another win for safety as they are 9th.
We go to Somerton Sports Club for the hosts S Club 8 who are the main reason we now have a relegation battle as they have been on decent form this year and are making the teams above them sketchy and wary of themselves as the season end draws near. The visitors were Nobbys Nuts who are very mixed in their form and can be considered in that relegation race so it was all important for points here. It was 9s and 4s early on which was bizarre but the form guys for S Club are the bottom 2 as Andy Billings fired in a 14 spare and skipper Mark Aylward smoked a 13 spare and 56,67 was just the start they required. Nobbys were a mixed bag early on as Liam hit an 11 spare but the low scores mixed in meant 58,48 and a 17 pin lead for S Club 8. The home team exploded into life in the middle hands as Guy wit a 12 spare, Tony with a 12 spare and Mark with his 2nd spare of 16 this time meant a massive 78 hand and a 59 to follow it and put huge pressure on Nobbys Nuts. The visitors fought hard to stay in the match and Keith M with a 12 spare ended a superb hand of 66 but they still lost that one and 52 to follow which they also lost meant a big lead of 36 for S Club 8. Despite a weak start to the final hands S Club finished strongly and skipper Mark Aylward had a brilliant nigh as a 3rd spare of 15 meant a big top score of 69 and a fantastic night for him, they set Nobbys a highly unlikely two 75s to win. Credit where credit is due as Nobbys kept fighting right till the end and a 13 spare from Keith B meant they finished with 69,56 which was not enough as S Club 8 got another great win 9-3 by 24 pins to move out of the relegation places and are now 10th. Nobbys were outplayed here as they are 7th.
Division 2
Champions elect are Lamb & Larks with a big 14 point lead and they know that if they keep winning there is nothing that their rivals Crown Shanks can do to overtake them so its 1 win at a time for them and just before their Nomination Cup Final rendezvous with Crown Shanks it was important to get a good win this week. They were at Bell Ash as the hosts were Mandys Bell Boys who are a tricky team at the moment as they can blow a team away at any point but for Bell Boys you never know when that’s going to happen so Lamb & Larks had to play like they have been to achieve a good win here. Mandys Bell Boys started well and Juls with a 12 spare got the home team off to a decent start and 62,60 put decent pressure on the leaders. Rearon opened for Larks magnificently with a 14 spare, Tank bulldozed a15 spare and the rest backed up well as 64,65 gave them both hands and a 7 pin lead. That seemed to knock the stuffing out of Mandys as they just couldn’t quite get anything big and Mandy herself with 4 and a 3 was the icing on a miserable 2 hands as 53,52 meant that the initiative had shifted towards the leaders. Indeed it was as Rearon continued his excellent evening with a 13 spare, Andy Webb then joined the spares club with 2 of them (11,13) and the backup from the rest was good again as the same hands of 64,65 pushed them into a big lead of 31 and it looked like another good win for them. Mandys to their credit never gave up and Nick with a 13 spare top scored with 56 and Dan T with a 16 spare hit 55 as they blitzed a 71 hand and a 55 to follow certainly made Larks think a little. They did fall away a little but Andy Webb finished with two 9s to top score with 58 and there was a 12 spare from Tiz but 58,55 meant that Mandys Bell Boys came away with the last two hands for consolation as Lamb & Larks won 10-2 by 18 pins and stay 14 points clear and are very close now to promotion and the Division 2 title. Mandys Bell Boys fought well but the loss means they are 8th.
Off to Limington next and to Lamb & Lark for the hosts and 2nd bottom Hotspots who are having no luck this season and find themselves scrapping away for any points they can get and they would need fighting qualities at home this week as the visitors were Crown Shanks who need a pick-me-up after the battering they got from Lamb & Larks and this match hopefully would settle them down and back to winning ways just before the Nomination Final and they were heavy favourites to get a good win here. Hotspots needed a good start, but they were mixed and a decent 57 hand was good but a 46 hand after wasn’t the follow up to put pressure on Crown Shanks. It was a slowish start, but Matt with two 9’s and skipper Darren Cousins with an 8 and a 14 spare meant that 50,65 gave them a 12 pin lead and a good start. Hotspots had to try to stay in the match and pressure Shanks, but it didnt materialise as they struggled to get any sort of momentum and two 46s meant that Shanks could kill the game in the next two hands. Although Shanks didnt get spares they were decent with a few 9s throughout and 54,62 meant they were 36 up now and comfortable for a decent win here. Hotspots had to muster anything to see what they could get and a13 spare from Rich as he top scored for them with 48 was a crumb of comfort and 55,51 was a decent ending. Shanks mightve taken their foot off the gas a little as scoring waned a little but skipper Darren Cousins top scored with 50 and Crown Shanks won 10-2 by 36 pins to stay 14 behind Larks in 2nd and are at least favourites for promotion. Hotspots stay 2nd bottom in 11th.
Next we go to East Lambrook and to Rose & Crown as hosts and bottom team Thorns & Roses are having a decent turn of form recently and what was looking the Wooden Spoon coming to them easily there maybe a couple of teams dragged into a battle for it which is good for them. They hosted 3rd placed Split Pins who still harbour hopes of promotion but with form waning slightly they needed to make this match stick and a decent win was important for their chances. This followed a theme for Thorns & Roses matches at home as the scoring was low all the way through but Jason with a 9 spare was great for them and 46,52 was surprisingly too many for Split Pins as Thorns were 5 up after the opening hands. Ryan with a 13 spare was giving lots of hope to Thorns and although there was a 39 hand it was followed with a 54 which Split Pins would hopefully get back into the game. The problem for Split Pins was that it got worse and 42,45 meant that Thorns were now 11 up and very close to a great win. Thorns got nervy and 40,45 meant that Split Pins needed 49,48 to escape with a win. It got oh so tight but Split Pins agonisingly fell short, and Thorns & Roses won 9-3 by 3 pins to stay bottom in 12th but the gap to the teams above is shrinking so could be an exciting battle. Split Pins will be disappointed to lose here and stay 3rd but Dolphins are closing on them.
Next up is the 2nd Stoke Club derby as we go to the bottom alley as hosts Dolphins keep plugging away in 4th and being they’ve been there for a while probably they will stay there but you never know and all they can do is keep winning. Their opponents were Stoke Buoys who are having a decent season now and will look to get some form before their Nomination Plate final against Pornstars. It was 7 a side, so scores would be lower than usual, but Dolphins opening hands were very mixed as Pete Wescott had a 1 early on, but Paul B made up for the skipper with a 13 spare which led to opening hands of two 48s. Stoke Buoys reply struggled to get going as there were a lot of low scores which led to 39,38 and therefore a 19 pin lead for Dolphins. The middle hands for the hosts were ok at best, but Pete made up for his 1 in the first hand with a 14 spare, but it was Derek’s and Dave’s turn for the low scores with a couple of 2s which deflated the hands somewhat and 45,46 were not brilliant but a 19 pin buffer meant Stoke Buoys had to win these hands to get back in the match. The visitors just couldn’t get going at all and 39,46 meant a 25 pin lead for Dolphins and a win was likely for them. What happened from both teams in the last hands was bizarre as both sides who drew the 4th hand also drew the last two hands so Dolphins who won the first 3 hands also took those as well and won 12-0 by 25 pins to stay 4th but they are 1 point behind Split Pins in 3rd. Stoke Buoys will consider themselves unlucky on the last 3 hands but no points means they are 6th.
There was another derby at Elis next up as hosts Ham Boys have been in freefall this 2nd half with the determination of winning back the coveted Wooden Spoon it seems but could they get back the form they produced in the first half? Well their opponents were in form Mucky Ducks who have had a decent run and in 5th currently hope they can keep ploughing on to the end of the season. Ham Boys started off a bit up and down as the top half struggled, but Liz with a 15 spare gave the hands a boost but than Colin S with a 1 knocked that boost and they ended up with 57,52. Mucky Ducks made light work of those hands as a 14 and a 16 with a few 8s mixed around gave them a good start as 62,66 was achieved and a 19 pin lead. Ham Boys improved in the middle hands as skipper Dan Vigar bashed a 17 spare in and there was much better consistency of scoring and 66,56 was much better. That didn’t deter Mucky Ducks as they continue to score impressively with another two spares of 13 and 14 and the hands were 56,72 and the lead for Ducks now was 25 and another uphill struggle for Ham Boys was looming. The hosts gave it their all and Colin Rock with a 13 spare and Liz with her 2nd spare of the night also 13 meant they finished well with 73,51 meaning Mucky Ducks needed a mundane two 50’s to win this match. Ducks could’ve cruised to victory here but they decided to use their power scoring as 4 spares in the same hand of 11,14,14 and 12 meant a blistering 82 hand which meant the game was easily won and well done to DS who top scored with 63 as Mucky Ducks won comfortably 11-1 by 39 pins and stay 5th. Ham Boys bad form continues as they are 10th.
Last off we go to Lord Nelson where Chris Westwoods’s team continue to have a mixed bag of a season and currently in the lower half of the table they hoped to get a decent home win this time around. They had a decent chance as the visitors were Rosies Rebels who likewise have had a mixed bag of a season but theirs is a much better one and are likely not to keep the Wooden Spoon they currently hold so this on paper looked like a tight match. The opening hands from Lord Nelson were very mixed as 8’s and 9’s had a sprinkling of a 2 and 4s and 5s as 55,48 was not the greatest of starts. There was also a 2 in Rosies Rebels opening hands but the low scores were few and far between as they scored decently as a team and 49,56 meant a 2 pin lead for Rebels. Nelson continued to battle with their scoring but Niall had a 9 spare which gave some cheer but 53,47 wasn’t what they needed to take a grip of the game. Likewise Rebels couldn’t get a grip on the game and hands of 51,52 meant a lead of 5 for Rebels and a tight ending was on the cards here. It just wasn’t Lord Nelsons night as they continued to struggle and hands of 51,46 meant that Rebels needed 52,51 to win the match. The chase was a struggle early on but the bottom 3 turned the match in their favour and Wayne finishing with two 9s for a top score of 46 meant that Rosies Rebels achieved the win 10-2 by 17 pins to be in 9th. Lord Nelson will keep on going but the loss means they are 7th.
We have the Nomination Finals week so a gap for most teams but good luck to Crown Shanks and Lamb & Larks in the Nomination Final and Pornstars and Stoke Buoys in the Plate Final. Duke of York continue to slay all before them but they have a tough ending to the season and the title can still be won or lost so there is plenty to play for and Lamb & Larks can’t rest on their laurels despite a big 14 point lead.
Cheers all
Steve
