Bocking Spinners hosted leaders Onley Arms in a top-two Essex Invitation Petanque League encounter and it was the front-runners who emerged victorious in a close match.

In the triples, Bocking’s Richard Tite, Christina Knights and Trevor Turner took on Trevor Blows, Lorne Gibson and Beryl Gibson.

In wet conditions, both teams scored ends of two or three to make the score 7-7 before the ends then got a bit tighter, but the Onley came out on top 13-10.

In the doubles, the Gibson pairing led 6-1 but a six for Turner and Knights gave them the lead.

The Onley pair edged closer to the winning 13th point but at 12-11, Lorne Gibson moved a Spinners boule to give them two and game at 13-12.

The deciding singles was between Malcolm Smith and Trevor Blows, who have had some close games over the years.

Blows carried on his good shooting form as he took the score to 12-4, but an error gifted three to Smith, who then made it 12-8.

However, the Onley player made sure of the next end to take the game 13-8 and the match 2-1.

The dropped point by the Onley allowed both Thorley and Billericay to move closer in the league table.

Thorley beat Three Elms A 3-0 and there was the same scoreline at Billericay as they beat Bocking Weavers in a one-sided match, while Little Totham Swan beat Blackwater U3A 2-1.