THE Wellington Ex-Services Skittles League returns to action after the Christmas break with matches in the Gerald Thorne Championship on Friday, January 2.

Title-chasing Bell Green play rivals Cottage Pies on the upstairs alley at the Conservative Club, while Relyon, in third spot, will be lookling to keep up the pressure in their home match against Hot Shots.

Fixtures: Rebels v OBA (at Cottage Inn), Reservists v Report Centre A (RG Institute), Holywell Lake v Fireguard A (Victoria Arms, downstairs), Home Guard II v Shooters (Wellington Football Club), Queens Legs v Club Rockers (Conservative Club, upstairs), Relyon v Hot Shots (Conservative Club, downstairs), Bell Green v Cottage Pies (Victoria Arms, upstairs).

Top of the table Ex-Servicemen play WRFC at the Cottage Inn when games in the Chris Bullock resume on Thursday, January 8, with the following fixtures: United Services v Here 4 the Beer (White Horse Inn, Bradford on Tone), Ex-Servicemen v WRFC (Cottage Inn), Nynehead Club v King Pins (Nynehead Club), Mowers v Home Guard IV (Wellington Football Club), Outsiders v Scuppas (Conservative Club, downstairs), All Stars v Foresters (Victoria Arms, downstairs).

Meanwhile, Land Girls will be out to maintain their two-point lead at the top of the Wellington Ladies Skittles League when they play away to Pin & Tonics on Monday, January 5.

Split Pins, in second spot, play away to eighth-placed Wanderers while champions Jolly Blues, five points behind Land Girls with two crucial games in hand, are away to mid-table Water Babies.

All Blacks, in fourth place but 11 points adrift of the leaders, are home to Muppets who are two places below them in the table.

Fixtures: Pin & Tonics v Land Girls, All Blacks v Muppets, LOA Spare v Wobbly Pins, Water Babies v Jolly Blues, Wanderers v Split Pins. Bye - Geronimo.