WITH wins for both Pirates and Nomads and a defeat for last week’s leaders Stop- Outs, there is a threeway tie at the top of the Puriton & District Skittles League’s Division 1 table.

Both Pirates and Nomads were involved in close matches – Pirates winning by six at Crown Jewels, who had Colin Nutman in fine form again with 75; and Nomads winning by one at home to Somerset Vaults.

Pete Besley was the star man for the victors with 77.

Stop-Outs travelled to the 37 Club to find Foxes & Ferrets in fine form, eventually pulling 39 on the last two hands for an easy 31-pin win.

Both Les Macriner and Mike Gibbons hit 74 for the victors, with Mike Garbutt hitting two floppers in his 71.

Polden Bears won a low-scoring match at King William against Barstewards to move out of the relegation zone and drag their opposition and stablemates from the Crown, Catcott, Crown Jewels into the bottom three.

Division 2 leaders Landlords Rejects won at home to Three Cees to maintain their lead, with Ross Campbell hitting 66 for them.

However, their lead has been cut to a single point as Odds & Sods defeated Herdsmen, who were second last week by only four, with Dave Gomm hitting a spare on the final hand to set up the victory.

Odds & Sods are joined in second place by Oddsquad, who managed to beat Rofugees by 12 in a lowscoring contest at Sexey’s Arms. Nick Alford, of the beaten team, was the only player from either side to hit a spare.

Top individual score in the division came from Sam Simpson, of Huntspill Boys, who hit 78, which enabled their team to defeat Haymakers by 59.

l NOMADS and Wasters had to play a deciding hand after drawing 429-429 in seven hands and it took a Steve Hembery 14- flopper to swing the result in favour of Wasters in this Knock- Out Cup tie.

Stop-Outs hit the highest score of the round with 556, to defeat Wheatsheaf Boys by 62 at the White Hart, Cross, with Mike Garbutt hitting three 18s in his hand of 96, the top individual score of the season so far; Wanderers managed to just pip Farmer Boys at the low scoring King William alley.

Polden Turkeys ran out comfortable winners by 14 against Oddsquad, with Eddie Ingram hitting 76 for them.

Crusaders just held on for a three-pin win over Landlords Rejects, with Tim Hoban and Nick Haggett only hitting nine between them on the drinks hand, but they had enough in reserve.