Woodmen are going up as champions of Section B after their close 4-pins play-off victory over Hammers. Both sides have gone up and down between Section A and B more times than any other sides, Hammers having won Section B on six occasions, while it was Woodmen’s fourth Section B title.

The Woodmen team can be dated back to the 78-79 season when they played in Section E on a Tuesday night at the Royal Oak, Milborne St.Andrew under the name Milborne Woodmen. Section E was won by the Woodmen in the 80-81 season, and then Section D was won in 84-85. For the 88-89 season their evening was switched from Tuesday to Wednesday. After six seasons in Section C the team spilt up and the name Woodmen was not seen again until the 96-97 season after Dave Way took over the Royal Oak team that had been previously the Milborne Terrors. Milborne Woodmen were now a team again playing on Thursdays and took their place in Section C where Royal Oak had played the previous season. Woodmen were promoted in 98-99 the season they changed nights to Fridays even though they had finished fourth in Section C.  After two seasons in the B section the Woodmen were unlucky to be relegated after finishing fourth from bottom. in 2003 Milborne Woodmen won Section C after beating Colliton Flingers in a play-off, and then won Section B the following season beating Goldies Chimps in a play-off. The Woodmen spent five seasons in the top section before relegation in 08-09 whilst playing home matches at the Bladen SC, Briantspuddle. The following season they were back at the Royal Oak with Tony Brown taking over as captain and they  bounced back at the first time of asking winning Section B in 2010, the team was now known as Woodmen with Milborne being dropped from their name. The 10-11 season saw both Woodman and Royal Oak rivals Monsters  relegated from Section A only for both to come back up after Woodmen finished as runners up to Monsters in Section B in 11-12. The 12-13 season saw Woodmen in 7th place, their best top flight finish. Woodmen were back in Section B for the 15-16 season and finished third and then won Section B in 16-17 but after just two seasons in Section A were back in Section B again. Woodmen’s play-off victory over Hammers means they have now won Section B on four occasions.  

Hammers can be dated back to the 1964-65 season when they played at the Great Western on a Tuesday night in Section D. The following season the team moved to Goldies but still kept playing on the Tuesday. For the 72-73 season Hammers moved to the Trinity Club to play on a Thursday. Hammers were promoted in 73-74 to Section C after finishing runners up in Section D. Section C was won by Hammers in the 77-78 season as the team headed to Section B for the 78-79 season. The team moved to a Friday night at the Trinity Club for the 80-81 season as the club done away with the old alley in the bar area and built two new ones in the function room. Hammers reached Section A after winning Section B in the 84-85 season. They stayed in the top section for three season before being relegated back to Section B but bounced back in just two seasons winning Section B in 1990. it was another three seasons before Hammers were heading back to Section B. They escaped relegation to Section C in 95-96 after finishing bottom of section B but luck was against them in the 97-98 season when finishing fourth from bottom of Section B they were relegated when the sections were cut from sixteen to fourteen.  Hammers had just one season in Section C as they were promoted back to the B section after finishing third. Hammers finished bottom of Section B in 2001 and then bottom of Section C in 2002. In the 02-03 season Hammers finished as runners up in Section D and in 04-05 were runners up in Section C. Hammers were heading to Section A in 2007 after winning Section B, followed by relegation back to B only to win Section B again in 2009 and then relegation back to B after yet again only staying in the top flight for one season.  Section B was won again in season 14-15, but as their last two visits to Section A it only lasted one season. It was a record sixth Section B title for the Hammers in 2018 and they managed to stay up in the 18-19 season. Once the skittles league resumed after Covid Hammers were unlucky to find themselves back in Section B but have gone up at the first time of asking. 

Pete Hardy and Lloyd Mitchem of Hammers won the Pairs Competition on alley two at the Colliton Club beating Andy King and Matthew Green of Jolly Green Giants in the final.

The final team match of the 21-22 season was played tonight and it was a cracker.

Hammers met Woodmen on alley one at the Colliton Club to see who would go up as champions to Section A.

Both sides showed why they were the top two teams in Section B with some great skittles with the lead changing from team to team.

Woodmen who were 4-pins up going into the last hand were left needing 64 to win after Hammers had hit 67.Woodmen’s anchor man Andy Lovett was left needing 12 to win and after leaving up a pair with his first ball took the 2-pins for a stick up, and his 15 gave the Milborne outfit a 4-pins victory.

Well done to both teams and good luck to you all next season in Section A.

Hammers 447 (T Durrant 71), Woodmen 451 (A Lovett 72).

Puddletown Wanderers won the Open Plate final by 53-pins against Steamers to record their second Plate success, they also won it in 2018. The Wanderers were up all night after a good start and led by 33-pins after two hands. Steamers had a brief comeback when Gary Osborne hit back to back stick ups of 15 on hands three and four but it was Wanderers who finished the match on top with birthday boy Matthew King top scoring with 60.

All time record

4 x wins – Wide Boys

2 x wins – Patriots, Barmy Army and Puddletown Wanderers

1 x win – Unpredictables, Slingers, Merrymen, 3CA, Vic Reeves, Swan Abbots, The Imps, Woodmen, Alcotops and Half Pints    

Breakaways beat Wide Boys by 23-pins in the open Knockout cup final to clinch their third cup success, their previous wins coming in 2004 and 2018. It was Breakaways who had the better start in this all Section A clash racing into a 25-pins lead after two hands. Wide Boys slowly pulled back pins but it was Breakaways that led going into the last hand by 11-pins. The Wool outfit saved their best score for the last hand hitting 71.

All time record

7 wins – Brewers Bees and Marco Wanderers (3 x as Marco, 2 x as Greyhound, 2 x as Royal Oak)

4 wins – Post Office, New Compasses ‘B’, Dewlish Monsters and Wide Boys

3 wins – Tigers, Rebels, Skimmers and Breakaways

2 wins – Toppers, Pirates, Allsorts and Barmy Army

1 win – Phoenix Hotel, Monkton Social Club, Rooftops, Prince Of Wales ‘B’, Conservative Extras, Chinks ‘B’, Greyhound, P.O. Engineers, Muckspreaders, Druce Wanderers, United Sports, Gladiators, Avengers, Stratton Stragglers, Warriors, Puddletown Wanderers, Colliton Spares, The Imps and Jolly Green Giants.  

Crackerjacs kept up their good end of season form which saw them finish as runners up in the league by beating Trinity Mix ups by 27-pins in the Plate to finish the season with some silverware. It was the Jacs second Plate final success, their first was in 2009.

All time record

3 x wins – Woodpeckers

2 x wins – Little Gems, Crackerjacs and Devils

1 x win – Vic Divas, Colliton Nik Naks, Borough Bombshells, Breezers, Colliton Potshots, Galley Maids and vixens.

We are missing the winners from 2001, 2003 and 2004. If anyone could update me with the winners please get in touch.

Oakettes beat Woodpeckers by 40-pins to win the Ladies Cup and clinched the league and cup double for the fifth time having done so in 04, 06, 07 and 08. It was Oakettes eighth cup final success which is the most wins in the Ladies Cup.

All time record

8 wins – Oakettes

7 wins – Devils (1 x as Trinity Oxo’s)

6 wins – Pen Pushers (1 x win as Crackerjacs)

4 wins – Ladykillers

3 wins – Liverbirds

2 wins – Skittle Bashers and Compasses Coronets

The follow teams have all won the cup once, Bessy Boobs, Tigerettes, Victoria Plums, Colliton Simply Skittles, Little Gems, Forget-Me-Nots, Cockeroos, Crazy Ladies, Colliton Nik Naks, Breezers, Mix Ups.