AN interesting set of results last Thursday has left the top of Section One with six teams separated by just two points with four games left.

The main beneficiaries were the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) and the Black Swan (East Oxford), both of whom eked out victories whilst their four main rivals all suffered setbacks.

After four consecutive losses, the Con Club had a convincing display against the Royal Sun (Begbroke). Forging a narrow advantage early doors, they stretched this to 10 points entering the final round, eventually prevailing 78-67.

Matters were a lot tighter, however, for Captain Conway and his Black Swan Academy gang over in Bletchingdon against the division’s front runners, The Black’s Head. The hosts, required to correctly identify Gandhi to post the win on the last question, failed and the Black Swan swooped to snatch the bonus and the contest by 65-64.

With this setback for The Black’s Head, the Green Road Club had the opportunity to move clear at the top of the section. However, they were facing Premiership leaders, the Plough (Wolvercote), beaten just once in their previous nine outings. Despite a fairly solid performance by the Kidlington outfit, they lost 83-70 but are the favourites for the championship pennant.

With the Plough maintaining their triumphant passage, it was imperative for the Royal Blenheim ‘A’ (Oxford City) to get the better of their opponents, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley). This they duly achieved and in emphatic style, meting out an 86-60 walloping. This propensity to score heavy could prove vital at the end of the season should the Plough and the Blenheim have the same number of points.

It has been a struggle this summer for the Ploughman’s Bunch!, Premier Division champions last winter. After an enforced absence, they welcomed ‘The Pad’ back into the ranks last week and despite Charles inexplicably timing his holidays to coincide with this joyous reunion and for a quiz, I am informed, which was ‘….very Charles-orientated’, the Bunch! squeezed past the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade), 77-73.

In the ‘Battle of the Basement’ the White Hart, next to bottom in Section One, pulverised the side lying below them, the poor old Royal Blenheim ‘B’. Not normally noted for travelling well, the trip home would have been pretty sweet this time around following the 85-37 spanking doled out by the Eynsham unit.

The stand-out tie this round looks to be in Jericho involving the Gardener’s and the Green Road. A win for either puts them well in the mix for the final shake up.