RAILWAY Burtle had a last hand of 98 at the Lighthouse Inn to beat Misfits in the first division of the Highbridge & District Skittles League.

The visitors were set 83 to win and it didn't look very promising for them after their first three had gone 7, 6, 7. But the last five players all had spares to clinch a rare victory for the Burtle boys. Vic Burgoyne led the way with 86 and Brian Bagg scored 80 for the losers.

In the battle of the top two at the Berrow Inn, The Lads proved the stronger, beating Steamers winning by four, thanks to a second hand of 80. The Jones brothers, The Lads' equivalent to the Mitchell brothers, both took the cue with 66.

The Lads remain unbeaten at home, which is more than can be said for Cowboys, losers at home for the first time as Gunners won by 23.

Shunters' Paul Maxwell had a memorable night at the Victoria Hotel, scoring 90, which helped his team to a massive 519, easily the highest score there this season. Shunters defeated Outcasts comfortably.

In Division Two, Snurgers had a five-pin victory over Mauricemen as, for some reason, scores plummeted at the BAS Club - 417-412 says it all! The win kept the Snurgers a point ahead of Lighthouse Boys, who saw off White Rebels by eight at the White Horse, thanks to a sixth hand of 87. Ian Rutherford top-scored with 71.

Third-placed Radio Social slipped up after a disastrous night at the Lighthouse Inn, where they hit only 465. Juniors sampled the sweet taste of a rare victory, having won by 33, with the chairman, Mike Dixon and Martin Pople on 76.

Steve Peace cleared the diamond on every hand at Hotshots Club in his 81, which guided Berrow Hotel to a seven-pin victory over stablemates four Finger Club. Social Club's good run came to a sudden halt as lowly Rafascals sneaked a four-pin win, thanks to Charlie Lonsdale's enthusiastic 74.

Nothing can separate the top two in Division Three, where Tryers and The Poachers are locked together on 32 points. Poachers had a straightforward, 18-pin victory over stablemates Wanderers at Hotshots Club, with Tony "The Veteran" Vearncombe and Steve McCann on 69.

Tryers had to work a little harder at the Somerset and Dorset, having led all night. A last hand of 85 by Alleycats left the visitors a tricky 76 to win, but early spares by Deabill, Russell and Cain set them on their way to an eight-pin victory. Tim Heal cleared the diamond on all seven hands in his 74 for the Alleycats.

Legionaires and Bombardiers shared the points at Pawlett Legion, where last-hand spares by Steve White and Geoff Mitchard saved the visitors.

Results: Div One - Misfits 537 (Brian Bagg 80, Eric Jones 72, Mark Woolley 70, Stan White 71), Railway Burtle 551 (Vic Burgoyne 86, Tony Jennings 72, Alan Eastment 74); Lighthouse Rogues 526 (Matthew May 83, Andy Hale 81), Bellends 507 (Andy Manlow 84, Tony Manlow 72, Nigel Kingston 71); Odds and Ends, bye; The Lads 456 (Paul Jones, Steve Jones 66), Steamers 452 (Mark Cozens 64); Robins 458 (Paul Dunn 67), Brent Knoll Inn 462 (Spud Puddy 65); Cowboys 477 (Paul Edwards 72), Gunners 500 (Paul Bamsey 70); Shunters 519 (Paul Maxwell 90), Outcasts 464 (Steve Crook 66); Bombers 480 (Steve McCleary 67), Bobbetts Burntouts 432 (Rob Dean 71).

Div Two - Berrow Hotel 497 (Steve Peace 81), Four Finger Club 490 (Jamie Niblett 74, Mark Criddle 73); Outsiders 423 (Mouldy Leaf 67), Coopers Arms 386 (Mez Tonkins/Dave Ladd 53); Snurgers 417 (Benny Lismore/Pete Lewis 57), Mauricemen 412 (Bob Evans 58); Juniors 508 (Mike Dixon/Martin Pople 76), Radio Social 465 (Brian Robertson 73); Nobbys One, bye; Sleepers lost by two v Trainers; Social Club 463 (Norman Quick 69), Rafascals 467 (Charlie Lonsdale 74); White Rebels 465 (Martin Rich 78), Lighthouse Boys 473 (Ian Rutherfield 71).

Div Three - Wanderers 477 (Malcolm Clark 72), The Poachers 495 (Tony Vearnacombe/Steve McCann 69); Rovers 491 (Roger Packer 71), Dad's Army 448 (Dave Barthram/Greg Dyer/Rory Grimes 61); Accrington Stanley 491 (Goffy Edwards 78), Ghosttrains 450 (Kevin Sexton 66); Alleycats 490 (Tim Heal 74), Tryers 498 (Spence Bishop 70); Coopermen 410 (Steve Lewis 57), Crown Criminals 468 (Frank Kidner 66); Top House 486 (Roy Cook 70), Dan's Ditch Diggers 453 (Tony Charalambous 69); Legionaires 459 (Max Walker 67), Bombardiers 459 (Steve White 63); Berrow Basics 465 (Robin Gaunt 75), Home Guard 423 (Tony Smith 61).