PIRATES increased their lead at the top of Division 1 in the Puriton Skittles League to three points after a close away win at Knowle Otters.

Going into the last hand they needed 61 to win on the difficult Bawdrip alley, and after five men had played they still needed 25, but Mike Villis hit a 16 spare, leaving father and son Roger and Danny Palfrey to hit ten between them to win it.

Nomads are clear in second place after an 11-pin home win over Wasters, while Farmer Boys missed out on the alley record after hitting 553 at the Bason Bridge Inn to defeat Stop-Outs, who themselves hit over 500.

Crown Jewels pulled 13 pins on the penultimate hand to take a two-pin lead over Crown, but the game ended in a draw.

At the bottom of the table, Barstewards had their second consecutive win by ten pins over Polden Turkeys, who remain rooted to the bottom.

Woolavington Boys beat Foxes Ferrets by 36 pins and Somerset Vaults beat Wanderers by 62.

In Division 2, Landlords Rejects still lead after a 40-pin win at home to Swannies, but second-placed Herdsmen lost at home to Wheatsheaf Boys.

Odds & Sods moved into second place after a 31- pin win over Three Cee’s, and Crusaders’ form continued, hitting 505 to defeat Haymakers by 47.

Cross Your Hart are struggling at the bottom of the table with only one win this season, the latest defeat at home to Spitfires by 18 pins leaving them six adrift.

Huntspill Boys hit 497 at Crown, East Huntspill, to defeat Rofugess by 79 pins.