CHAMPIONS Elmore Club suffered a surprise defeat in Division A of the Sampford Peverell and district league when they lost to Settler Boys by 14 pins.

DIVISION A, results: Settler Boys 430, Elmore Club 416; The Hounds 350, Bradninch C Club 365; Globe Appley B 400, Castaways 360; Redwoods 362, Brass Monkeys 359; Barmy Army, bye; Lumberjacks 373, Globetrotters 340; Bellies 397, Queens Head 412; Calverleigh 408, Globe Appley 332.

Reports: Settler Boys followed Elmore Club onto the alley, overtook them after two legs, and showed no signs of letting go of their lead. A four spare 93 fourth leg included a 20 spare from anchor man Richard Sobey.

The Hounds slipped up at home to Bradninch C Club as they went into the last two legs only one ahead. The Hounds had two average legs with the Cricketers posting two good legs for the win.

A good start by Globe Appley B saw Castaways playing catch-up all the game. Though they won the fourth leg it was too little too late.

Redwoods overtook Brass Monkeys by five after the first two legs and added another seven to that. But Brass Monkeys posted two excellent last legs and the home team just managed to get their noses in front at the end.

Lumberjacks won at home at last with a comfortable win over Globetrotters. The home team set up a score for the Trotters to aim for, but with the Jacks posting two excellent middle legs the away team were always behind.

Bellies had to watch as Queens Head posted a high second leg of a three-spare 83 to go ten pins up. The away team continued to add the pressure and Bellies had no answer to them, with a consolation 18-pin haul on the last leg.

Calverleigh celebrated an excellent win over Globe Appley as they overtook the away team from the start and never looked like conceding the points.

DIVISION B, results: The Beare 367, Barley Mow 375; The Merriemeade 350, HCC1 404; Crossways 362, Bullocks 408; The Agri-Nuts 362, Ayshford Arms 363; All Blacks 413, Uplowman 399; Bickleigh 413, The Ponies 392; Oggies 366, Roy’s Rebels 374. Late Result: HCC1 343, Crossways 324.

Reports: The Beare started off well against Barley Mow, pulling a healthy lead over the first four rubs, but the away side notched it up a gear and cruised through for a seven- pin win.

The Merriemeade didn’t ‘turn up’ against HCC1, losing all six rubs and giving the away side a tasty 54 pin win.

Crossways struggled against the Bullocks who started off strongly and carried it through to the end dropping only a few pins on the fifth.

The Agri-Nuts and Ayshford Arms had a close game throughout and it boiled down to captain N Cosh needing a 16 spare as last man to steal the win. He duly obliged to win it by one.

All Blacks only dropped pins on the fifth rub on the way to a 13 pin win over Uplowman.

Bickleigh won four of the six rubs to out battle The Ponies and win by a comfortable 21 pins.

Oggies led Roy’s Rebels after the fourth leg, but could not post enough pins over the last two. The Rebels overtook them in the fifth and held on to win the game.

DIVISION C, results: Booze Cruzers 420, Tiverton Chiefs 362; Halfway House 365, Ashill Inn 382; Huntsham A 382, Rose & Crown 364; Heathcoat Hulas 355, Knock Em Down 322; Tiverton RBL 376, Catherine Wheel 369; The Travellers 427, The Farmers 368; HCC2 323, Lion Cubs 353. Late results; Knock Em Down 331, Booze Cruzers 340.

High Scores: 66 – Steward Chapple and Philip Chapple (The Travellers, three and two spares); Reports: Booze Cruzers racked up a big home win against Tiverton Chiefs. The home side found themselves a couple of pins behind after the first two legs, but an 86 third leg saw them pull into an unassailable lead. They took all the remaining legs to win by 58.

Ashill Inn chalked up their first win of the season away at Halfway House. Ashill edged their way in front after the first two legs and maintained a lead to the end, winning by an impressive 17.

Huntsham A went 19 pins up after the first two legs at home to Rose & Crown. The remaining legs were almost evenly shared, with Huntsham A winning by 18.

Heathcoat Hulas were comfortable winners at home to Knock Em Down. HH took all legs but the last to take the game by 33 pins.

Tiverton RBL, playing second in their home game against Catherine Wheel, strode into a 22 pin lead after two legs. But Catherine Wheel halted their march in the third and fourth legs and took the last two. Despite the comeback, RBL’s lead was too much to overcome and they won by seven.

The Travellers had the biggest win of the evening, beating The Farmers by 69. All square after two legs, Farmers were then stung by 79, 80 and 82 legs to slip to their fourth defeat.

Lions Cubs maintained their 100% record with a win at HCC2. Cubs built their lead steadily through the game, going six up after two, 15 after four and finally 30 up at the end.