BELL Green maintained their three-point lead over title rivals Relyon with a 25-pin home win over Oaks in Wellington Ex-Services Skittles League’s Gerald Thorne Championship.

Scores - Bell Green 381, Oaks 356: Will Essex hit a superb 60 on the upstairs alley at the Vic as the Bee-Gees kept on course for the championship - with only four games remaining. However Essex’s score was matched by Steven Burge for Oaks.

Relyon 382, Report Centre A 317: Relyon kept up the pressure with a big 65-pin victory over bottom side Report Centre A at the Conservative Club with Rob Higgs (62) steering them to their 19th win. David Bennett scored 55 for RCA.

Home Guard 11 309, Cottage Pies 321: The Pies, in third spot but four points behind Relyon, kept in touch with the leaders with a 12-pin success away to Home Guard II with Rich Maslen being their top skittler with 48. Macca Campbell knocked 53 for the home side.

Holywell Lake 410, Reservists 363: Holywell Lake, in fourth spot, produced one of the best displays of the week in beating Reserves by 47 pins at the Vic with Dave Howell leading the charge with a splendid 61. Glen Escott knocked 56 for the losers.

Queens Legs 353, Hot Shots 359: Hot Shots squeezed home by six pins in the upstairs/downstairs derby at the Conservative Club. Edd Chivers’ 54 proved crucial as Hot Shots held their nerve during the closing stages. Stuart Sutton impressed with 56 for the home outfit.

Club Rockers 339, OBA 342: OBA were another side to win by a small margin, beating Rockers by three pins with Rob Billett (55) being their match-winner at the Institute. Rockers’ skipper Eddy Houltem scored 52.

Rebels 373, Fireguard A 302: Rebels produced a dominant display to beat Fireguard A by a mammoth 71 pins with Paul Taylor being their top skittler with 54. Ben Sellick’s 43 was the best for seven-man Fireguard A.

Meanwhile Ex-Servicemen, who have already won the Chris Bullock Championship, made it 23 win from 23 matches as they won by 28 pins at home against Foresters. Ricky Baker’s excellent 60 led the scoring for the X-men who have yet to be beaten at home since moving to the Cottage last season. Simon Wall (56) was in good form for Foresters. Scores: Ex-Servicemen 389, Foresters 361.

Mowers 370, WRFC 373: Mowers, in second place, suffered their seventh loss of the winter when they went down by three pins against the rugby boys whose leading skittler was Andy Pearce with 54. Nigel Dobson hit the same score for Mowers.

United Services 377, Scuppas 375: United Services gained a dramatic two-pin victory at the White Horse with Andy Gamlin’s 58 proving vital. John Pike impressed with a splendid 60 for Scuppas but his efforts went unrewarded.

Outsiders 359, King Pins 359: These two sides fought out a nail-biting draw at the Conservative Club with Martin Sharland hitting 59 for the home side and Jordan Bryant 57 for the Pins.

Nynehead Club 392, All Stars 293: This was another game which ended all square. Lewis Sparks (59) top scored for the Club while Paul and Liam Desborough hit 56s for the visitors.

Odds & Ends 407, Home Guard IV 365: Rob Stanyard (60) was in good form for the home side while Greg Harrison (56) was tops for the losers.