BOCKING Poachers became the first team to secure their place in the Essex Invitation Petanque League's top-six play-offs as they beat local rivals Bocking Boules 2-1.
In the triples, Poachers' Mark Williams, Paul Griffin and Pat Brown dominated a slow game and won 13-4.
Trevor Blows took on Brown in the singles and won 13-7 to level the match, but the deciding pairs was a non-event with Williams and Griffin beating Darren Hutchins and Callum Finn 13-0.
Boules will have to wait for two weeks before knowing if their point is enough to make the top six.
Bocking Spinners took on Wethersfield Jetts.
Malcolm Smith, Richard Tite and Christina Knights took the triples for Spinners 13-11 against Terry Whiting, Terry Williams and Eric Smith, but Ryan Cook claimed the singles as he beat Tite 13-8.
In another deciding pairs game, Smith and Knights were trailing 12-11 to Whiting and Williams, but made two in the final end to take the game 13-12 and the match 2-1
This keeps Spinners in the top six but Jetts will contest the division two play offs.
Thorley had the chance to go into the top six but slipped up at home 2-1 to Wethersfield Hopps.
Kim Speed took the deciding singles 13-10 against Jon Sellar.
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