JUST when it seemed, even with half the season remaining, that the destination of the title in both the Premiership and Section One were determined, a couple of key results have markedly, and thankfully, transformed the picture.

In the top division, the Plough (Wolvercote), having won their first seven fixtures, would have opened up a virtually unassailable lead had they made it eight in their clash last Thursday with their nearest challengers, the Royal Blenheim ‘A’(Oxford City). However, the city centre outfit have been in sparkling form of late, following an indifferent start to the campaign, and they were rewarded for their short trek up the Woodstock Road with a 77-70 victory which now leaves them just two points behind their vanquished foe.

In Section One, pacesetters the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon) would have cemented their grip on the championship trophy had they triumphed at home against the Green Road Club (Kidlington). But it was not to be as the latter ran out comfortable winners, 80-64, and thereby inflicting a second loss in three outings on their opponents. Matters could become even worse for the Black’s Head this week as they seek to reverse their fortunes with a visit to the Plough!

In fact, results could not have worked out much better for the Green Road Club. Lying fourth before the evening’s proceedings, defeats for all three of the sides above them has seen them leapfrog into second.

The Royal Sun, for whom the summer had started so brightly, suffered their fourth consecutive reverse, this latest at the hands of the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote). They never really recovered from a 4-15 scoreline in round two and although they managed to reclaim part of the deficit, they were eventually squeezed out, 73-69.

In third spot before play, the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) slipped to fourth after coming unstuck, 60-70, at home to the Black Swan (East Oxford). Captain Conway has added some talented youth to complement the already prodigious knowledge of the likes of himself and Burkey, and a fine all-round performance was way too much for an indifferent Con Club unit who still appear to be basking in the glory of their success in the Sports Tabletop a fortnight earlier.

Match of the day may well have been that staged at the White Hart (Eynsham) where the visitors, the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade), scraped home on the final pair of questions, 65-64.

In the one other encounter , the Royal Blenheim ‘B’, hosting only their second tie at their new residence, were overpowered by the far more experienced and cunning devils from the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), 75-45.

The stand-out attraction this week may well be the Royal Blenheim ‘A’ versus the Bunch!, the former looking to keep the heat on the Plough at the top of the Premier Division.