IT’S taken three long years but finally Far From The Madding Crowd ‘A’ (Oxford City) have managed to pull off a win against their Premiership rivals, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote).

Captain ‘Cabbie’, the Vicar, Doc and the chap from ‘Mastermind’ combined to subdue their former nemesis, 82-69, and in so doing moved to within a point of them in the table.

These two old foes do battle again on the final day of the season.

Taking advantage of their stablemate’s misfortunes, the Plough leapfrogged them to the top of the division courtesy of a gutsy victory over a new-look North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown). But boy, it was close! In what would have been the shock of the season so far, the Con Club led with two rounds remaining, the returning ‘Uncle’ Rupert and a debutante performing extremely well, but agonisingly they succumbed 75-78.

There was also a change at the head of affairs in the North. Having set the pace for much of the campaign to date, the Bell (Lower Heyford) has now relinquished top spot to the Blue Boar Bees (Chipping Norton). The former suffered their fifth defeat in seven starts, at home, 60-67, to the team I criticised last week for not travelling well, the Eight Bells (Long Crendon). The Bees, for their part, entertained the in-form Sun Inn (Hook Norton), but their emergence as substantial opponents counted for nought as they were swept away 67-54. In fact, the Bees jumped from third to first, also overtaking their housemates, the Blue Boar ‘A’, who lost at next door neighbour’s, the Chequers, 62-65.

There was a delayed start to proceedings in Eynsham where hosts, the White Hart, failed to realise the questions had not arrived until the match was due to start. The opposition, the Chandos Arms, displayed extreme patience in the face of extreme panic, but the late finish exhausted the ‘Oakley Army’ and they retreated to base having been subjugated 55-65.

Pacesetters in the West, the Royal Sun (Begbroke), experienced just their second reverse, being squeezed out, 71-70, by the Hatchet (Childrey). Second-placed Seacourt Bridge (Botley) failed to capitalise with a 77-60 battering by basement outfit, the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon). The Windrush Club (Witney) eased alongside the Seacourt after dismissing Far From The Madding Crowd ‘B’, 78-40.

Did you hear the one about the Clareman, the Kerryman and the ‘Limerick Boyo’? Well, in a gesture of sportsmanship, the Black Swan (East Oxford), allowed a technicality to be circumvented resulting in a 67 all draw with the Green Road Club (Kidlington), a match they would have otherwise edged.

In the East the Green Dragon (Haddenham) beat the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade), 81-58, while the King’s Arms (Wheatley), felled the Woodman (North Leigh) 70-58.

James Carr’s questions

Q. Who was the first Britain’s Got Talent winner in 2007?
Q. Name Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder’s UK number 1 hit of 1982?
Q. The flag of which African country consists of three vertical bands – green – white – green?
Q. Who was the Scottish speed skater disqualified from the 500, 100 and 1500m events at the 2014 Winter Olympics?

ANSWERS: Paul Potts, Ebony and Ivory, Nigeria, Elise Christie