CHAMPIONS Jolly Blues suffered their first loss of the season in the Wellington Ladies Skittles League when they went down by three pins at home to Split Pins with Lisa Mace and Bev Jones both hitting hands of 56.

The new leaders are Land Girls who gained a 48-pin home win over LOA Spare with Kristy Popplestone top scoring with 58.

All Blacks kept in contention in fourth spot with a 55-pin away success against Geronimo with Cynth Phillips knocking 50.

Results: Land Girls 387 (Kristy Popplestone 58), LOA Spare 339 (Sonia Cridland 51); Geronimo 293 (Claire Rodger, Sonia Avery 45), All Blacks 348 (Cynth Phillips 50); Jolly Blues 380 (Ali Campbell 55), Split Pins 383 (Lisa Mace, Bev Jones 56); Muppets 293 (Tina Chilcott 43), Water Babies 283 (Sue Grabham, Jodi Newby 41); Wobbly Pins 308 (Maggie Norris 43), Wanderers 302 (Sandy Jarman 45).

League fixtures for Monday, November 24: Pin & Tonics v LOA Spare, Geronimo v Water Babies, Land Girls v Wanderers, Muppets v Split Pins, Wobbly Pins v Jolly Blues. Bye - All Blacks.

Meanwhile, the second round of the Blackdown Hills Skittles League's KO Cup did not disappoint with both of last year's finalists knocked out on their home alleys. It was also a night for teams in Division B to shine with many of them knocking out their Division A opponents. Closest tie in the round involved Sociables and Kings who squeezed home by two pins, while Hairy Ringers won by five pins against Brass Monkeys. Results - Blackdown Hills Skittles League KO Cup, second round: Hairy Ringers 375, Brass Monkeys 370; Catherine Wheel 405, Right up your Alley 399; Jacks of all Trades 365, Wobbly Wheels 389; Dam Busters 333, Winch Em Out 381; Queens Knockers 376, One for the Ditch 418; High Flyers 303, Novices 272; Sociables 410, Kings 412; Half Moon 432, Pinpricks 351.