The battle is nearly over for the mixed teams in the

Blackthorn British Skittles Championship, as the group stage

draws to a close this weekend.

Only the winners of each group will know that they have

definitely done enough to qualify for the Grand Finals at Sand

Bay Leisure Resort in Weston-super-Mare on Saturday, September

20.

For the teams who finish second, and the two best

third-placed teams, a knockout stage awaits as they battle for

the six remaining places.

In the ladies' competition, Weston-super- Mare side AKA

Angels jumped to the top of group two with a 300-280 win over

the Royal Tots from Taunton.

This followed a heavy defeat for the Angels away to the Tots

earlier in the competition. Both teams qualified for the Grand

Finals last year and are keen to repeat that this year.

Angels captain Michelle Bruton said: “It is always a

pleasure to play the Royal Tots. They are a great bunch of

ladies.”

Gloucester side Baker St Follies face an anxious wait to see

if they will finish top of Group Five.

Last year's ladies' runners-up, the Follies top the group

with 12 points after completing their scheduled matches, but

Cotswold WAGS, from Bibury, are four points behind them and

have three games in hand.

However, second place would be enough to guarantee a place

in the Grand Finals for the Follies, and with it a chance to

increase their prize money from the £500 they won last year to

the winner's bounty of £1,000.

Exeter side The Sinners kept their unbeaten record intact

with back-to-back wins over Hele side Ladies In Red in their

group matches.

In the home leg at Exeter St Thomas Social Club, a superb

start helped the Sinners to a 353-304 win, while in the return

at the Crossways Tavern, the Sinners ran out winners by 22

pins, 386-364.

Barring a disaster, the Sinners will almost certainly

qualify for the Grand Finals.

In Group Three of the mixed competition, Wreckers A, from

Calne, had a nail-biting return match against Stroud team Conti

Sports 2 after winning the away game.

The first leg at Bremhill View Social Club ended even, with

the Wreckers taking a slight lead in the following legs.

However, Conti Sports fought back and took 11 pins from

them, with consistent scoring from the visitors, who managed

only two spares all evening, keeping the match close.

The hosts trailed by three pins in the final leg but

anchorman Mick Gale managed a nine to level the six scored by

Graham Barnard for Conti Sports and force a 321-all draw.

The result means that Wreckers A, who still have one game to

play, cannot be caught at the top of the group and so have

booked their place in the Grand Finals.

Conti Sports are still in the hunt for second place and

qualification for the knockout stage. Their final match, at

home to Bibury team 10CC, will be crucial as just one point

separates the sides.

Bath saw a local derby between two teams vying to reach the

Grand Finals. Newcomers Our Gang, who play from the Hadley

Arms, took on Ring Of Bells at their home alley, the Ring Of

Bells in Priston.

Our Gang won the first meeting of the two sides, but things

were very different in the return match.

The home side were six pins up at the halfway stage and

looked in command, but Our Gang started to find their feet and

began to close the gap.

The only spare of the match, a 13 from Ring Of Bells' John

Fry, proved decisive as his side ran out 284-282 victors,

recording their first win of the season in the process.

Our Gang then travelled to Frome to challenge the group

leaders, Wild Bunch.

The hosts were unbeaten at home and guaranteed a place in

the grand finals regardless of the outcome of this match, while

Our Gang needed a win to take second place in the group away

from fellow newcomers Orchard Mix.

Our Gang adapted very quickly to the different playing

conditions and led by 10 pins after two legs.

Racking up six spares to the home side's four made a huge

difference for Our Gang, who booked a trip to Dorset to take on

either the management or Monster Oaks in the knockout

stage.

Our Gang captain Donald Cox said: “After losing to the

bottom team, who hadn't won a match, it was nice to beat the

top team, who hadn't lost, and progress to the play-offs.”

Another new mixed team, Monster Oaks, celebrated an away win

against Dorchester side The Management at the Victoria

Hotel.

Monster Oaks, from Milbourne St Andrew, are made up of

players from men's side Dewlish Monsters and ladies' team

Oakettes.

While the Monsters were knocked out of their event at the

group stage, the ladies are top of their group and look set to

reach the Grand Finals.

Their mixed side faced a stiff test against The Management,

who have reached the Grand Finals in the past three years.

The home team started play down the board, to which the away

team responded by taking three pins off them.

The second leg saw the Monsters take a decent 11-pin lead,

but the home side responded and pulled back the points, aided

by spares in the fifth leg by M Slade (13) and S Childs

(13).

The Management had a seven-pin deficit to make up in the

final leg, but 14 from Wendy Burt gave them encouragement.

However, visiting anchor L Ford claimed a six to give the

Monster Oaks a three-pin victory,

Monster Oaks captain Claire Ross said: “It was a close game

which could have gone either way at the end. We have enjoyed a

great evening with lovely food as well.”

Cornish side Calpens, from Callington, got off to a good

start with a 358-357 win over Devon side Wotsits, and then won

374-359 against county rivals Mix-Ups to preserve their chances

of making it to the big showdown in Weston-super-Mare.