Dominic O'Connor hit a brilliant run-a-ball 133 as Horspath 2nd took a giant stride towards the Cherwell League Division 1 title with a 40-run victory over Cumnor at the Recreation Ground.
O'Connor's superb century, which included 22 fours, took the leaders to 263-5 after they had been put in to bat, before the visitors were restricted to 223-9.
With nearest pursuers Buckingham Town, Bicester & North Oxford and Westbury all losing, it leaves Horspath a commanding 39 points clear at the top with two games to play.
Eleven points are now required to secure top spot while a win at Dinton next Saturday will see the side crowned champions.
The hosts were bouncing back to winning ways following back-to-back defeats and they did it in style with O'Connor leading the way.
He shared an opening stand of 60 with 2nd XI debutant Archie Lewins, who made an assured 17 before edging into Kian Niyarepola's gloves off Tom Lydford Brace.
O'Connor brought up his first milestone when he had made 32 to complete 4,000 Cherwell League runs.
Maintaining the momentum in a third-wicket stand of 129 with Robbie Eason, the left-handed opener reached his half-century with a single into the offside.
He continued to pile up the runs and brought up his ton with a glance down to fine leg for four. It was his sixth Cherwell century and his first for nine years.
The pair clocked up the 100 partnership and Eason had moved on to 45 when he miscued a drive off Onslowe Tappin and was caught in the offside by Louis Nicholson, making it 206-3.
O'Connor went past his previous Cherwell best of an unbeaten 121 for Horspath 2nd at Dinton in Division 1 on the corresponding Saturday in August 2016 before his fabulous innings came to an end when he was caught in the deep by Tom Barrett off Nicholson.
It was left to Elliot Ruff and captain Ryan Hicks to power Horspath to their final total as Lydford Brace returned Cumnor's stand-out figures of 2-15 from 10 overs.
Josh Cummings then made a big impact at the start of Cumnor's innings with a wicket in his first over courtesy of a stunning left-handed catch by Will Eason at first slip, before his throw secured a run out to make it 9-2.
Niyarepola moved the score on to 42 with Barrett, before the latter was trapped lbw by Hicks for 17.
Louis Nicholson then added 57 with the wicket-keeper batsman before falling in similar fashion to Ed Oakley for 28 as Horspath tightened their grip at 99-4.
Niyarepola went to his fifty before off-spinner Zach Rayner, 14, came into the attack on his 2nd XI debut and struck in his second over with Cumnor captain Alex Davies being caught by Oakley.
Hicks ended Niyarepola's resistance with Cummings running in from long off to take a good low catch to make it 151-7. The Cumnor batsman made 63 from 102 balls with four fours and a six.
Rayner enjoyed more success with Sam Down (27) lbw attempting a reverse sweep, while Cummings claimed a second victim by bowling Lydford Brace.
Tappin produced a breezy unbeaten 31 in the closing overs but the target by then was well out of reach for the visitors, whose relegation was confirmed with this defeat.
Cummings (2-30) together with Hicks and Rayner, both with 2-48, were the main Horspath wicket-takers.
Match highlights are available by clicking here
Horspath CC would like to thank the following 2026 Player Sponsors:
Amin Rafiq (STRONG Pilates Oxford)
Asad Rafiq (STRONG Pilates Oxford)
Will Eason (Oxford Marquees)
Josh Richardson (Steve Richardson)
Tyrone Eyles (Interduct UK Ltd)
Robbie Eason (ARB UK Ltd)
Tom Coleman (RJA & SL Coleman)
Ryan Hicks (Green & Wakefield)
Ehsan Hussain (RMA Properties)
Tom Nichols (Savona Foodservice)
Josh Cummings (Gardiners Opticians)