Category Archives: Reports

Strugglers are champions of Section D

Strugglers beat Easy Beats away at the Victoria Hotel to be crowned champions of Section D. The side from the Goldies have lost just three of their twenty matches in the league this season and finished with a pin difference of +487.

Formed in 1995 when the D&DSL was at its strongest with ten sections, the Piddle Valley Strugglers took their place in Section G, finishing 8th, and played at the Brace of Pheasants, Plush. The following season they found themselves in Section F as Section G was disbanded after five seasons. A fourth place finish was good enough to see them promoted to Section E. In 1997 the team moved alleys to the Poachers, Piddletrenthide and finished fourth in Section E for the next two seasons, and were promoted to Section D for the 99-00 season. The teams first trophy success came in the 02-03 season when they won Section D, by now the Piddle Valley had been dropped from their name. Section C was won in season 04-05. The Strugglers had a new alley for their debut season in Section B as they moved to the Gaggle of Geese, Buckland Newton. Two seasons were spent in Section B before relegation back to Section C after finishing bottom in the 06-07 season. The team were known as the New Strugglers from the 07-08 season, and moved alley’s the following season to play on alley two at the Trinity Club, but the team finished bottom of Section C. For the 09-10 season the team became Trinity Strugglers, moving across to alley 3 at the Trinity Club, and finished as runners up in Section D. The team finished top of Section C in the 14-15 season, but after two seasons in Section B were back in Section C, and then Section D for the 18-19 season. From 2018 the team were known as Strugglers and played their homes matches at Goldies.   

Ladies Singles Competition

Vicki Cooper of Vixens won the Ladies Singles Competition beating Maggs Edwards of Plodders in the final at Tom Browns.

There were 25 entries, with Vicki beating Lauren of Crackerjacs in the semi finals, while Maggs beat Linda of Woodpeckers in her semi final match.

Essentials promoted

Essentials will be in Section A next season regardless of the outcome of their last match. Currently they sit in second place in the table 2 points above Heathens, but the Crossways outfit have a better head to head against the Heathens so would be runners up if the two teams finish level on points.

Strugglers are going up

Strugglers clinched promotion from Section D with a home victory at the Goldies against Funseekers on Thursday. The Goldies outfit have been among the leaders all season and will be crowned champions if they beat Easy Beats away in their final match of the season on Tuesday at the Vic.

Wanderers promoted

Puddletown Wanderers clinched promotion from Section B at the first attempt, after relegation last season, as they did in 2018. Wanderers have a bye next week so will be waiting on the Essentials result to see if they become champions of the B section before the final round of matches.

Legionaires champions of Section A

Wareham Legionaires are champions of Section A at the first time of asking after their promotion from Section B last season. They become the first team since Allsorts in 2002 to achieve this feat. The Wareham outfit have led the way all season , losing just three times with two games to play.

Legionaires joined the league in 2012, and since winning Section D in 2019 have had continued success with just covid holding them up. Section C was won in 2022 followed by Section B in 2023.

Vixens Ladies Champions

Vixens have won the Ladies League for the first time. The ladies from the Trinity Club have been at the top from the start of the season and clinched the title with four games still to play. The Vixens had to come from 7-pins down after two hands in their away match to Wonder Women on alley one at the Trinity Club. The highlight of the match came on the fourth hand when the Vixens hit 67, which is the highest in the Ladies League this season, with Hayley Guille chipping in with a 13 stick up. The match was a close affair with Vixens clinching the 2pts with a 3-pins victory hitting 360, Vicki Cooper was top score for the Vixens with 52.

Vixens joined the league in 2013 as Top Kats and played on alley two at the Trinity Club on a Monday. The 13-14 season saw just one ladies league as Ladies Section B was dissolved, and the Kats finished 11th out of 16, and their debut season finished with a Plate Final in which they finished as runners-up. Top Kats moved to Tom Browns the following season and stayed there for three seasons, changing names from Kats to Cats and then to Vixens. For the 17-18 season the side returned to play at the Trinity Club, firstly on alley three before switching to their current alley, two. Vixens have twice finished runners up, in season 18/19 and last season when they finished just 3 points behind Crackerjacs. In 2018 Vixens won the Plate Final, while last season they won the Knockout Cup.   

Vixens close in on first title

Vixens beat Woodpeckers this week by 41-pins to make it 14 wins from 15 league matches this season. With 5 games left to play Vixens will crowned champions on Monday if they beat Wonder Women away. It will be Vixens first Ladies League title after finishing runners up last season, and it will be the first time since 2000 that the winners will not be one of either Crackerjacs, Oakettes or Devils, with the latter two teams no longer in the league.

Presentation Evening 2023

A big thank you to John and Jackie Ricketts for presenting the trophies, John has been on the league’s committee since 1991 and the league would like to thank him for all of his service to the D&DSL. Jackie was presented with a bouquet of flowers by our Vice Chair-person Sally Ann Childs-Slade.


All photos were taken by Chris Whitefield Wedding Photography, as always a big thank you to Chris.


Thank you to the Trinity Club and all of it’s staff for their hospitality, the security team on the door and Sound Star for the entertainment.


Thank you to our committee for all their hard work throughout the season and on making sure Friday ran smoothly.


Lastly thank you to all of you skittlers who supported the evening. Enjoy your summer and we’ll see you all back on the alley in September.