For the Royal Sun (Begbroke), there have been more productive Thursday nights. They began it heading up Section One, a position they had maintained since the opening round of matches, but by 11pm they had plummeted to fourth.

Their trip to Bletchingdon to tackle the Nomads team was far from rewarding as a strong start by the sartorially-adroit home outfit was maintained throughout and they eventually ran out 72-60 victors.

With this success, the Nomads leapfrogged their vanquished opponents into top spot, a distinction they can hang onto for the next fortnight at least as this week there is a short break in league action with the history-themed Tabletop taking centre stage.

The Royal Sun’s woes were further compounded by wins for two of their other chief rivals who also overtook them. Rising to second were the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade) following their 74-62 despatch of the Black Swan (East Oxford).

With just one defeat in five, this has been an encouraging beginning for the normally slow-starting Gardener’s – and they still have a game in hand on those around them in the table. There are some very stern tests lying ahead but improved availability and a new signing have significantly contributed to this gang’s improvement on 12 months ago.

The ever-improving Green Road Club (Kidlington) moved into third. With all three of their games against Premiership opposition behind them, and having handily claimed the scalp of one of them, the Royal Blenheim (Oxford City), the portents are looking good. Their most recent skirmish involved entertaining summer quizzing newcomers Busby’s Babes, aka the Blue Boar (Chipping Norton), and they promptly sent them packing back up the A44 with a 61-74 reverse.

Elsewhere, the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) was in almost too much of a benevolent mood in their battle with old rivals the Seacourt Bridge (Botley). Eleven points to the good with barely two rounds remaining, it needed Captain Coles’s successful recollection of the lyrics to eighties classic Come On Eileen on the final question for his charges to fall over the line, sneaking home 68-66 and condemning their gallant foes to their fifth straight loss.

For the other newbies, the Bell, their miserable run of form continued as they were sent crashing by their guests to Lower Heyford, the White Hart (Eynsham), 70-55.

With the Plough (Wolvercote) enjoying a bye, the chance for their stablemate the Ploughman’s Bunch! to go level with them on points in the Premier Division was not wasted as they overwhelmed the under-strength Royal Blenheim 82-60. With a rare night off, the “Cat” (of the Plough) came to spectate and couldn’t resist pointing out that his lot would have beaten either of these protagonists comfortably.

He’s quite a little tease!

JAMES CARR'S QUESTIONS

1. Which company started trading in June 1969 in Mary Street, Dublin, under the name Penney’s?
2. Who once said: “Our intention was to blow back the beggarly Scots to their native mountains”?
3. Which Cumbrian town’s Crab Fair features a world-famous face-pulling or gurning contest?

Answers: 1. Primark, 2. Guy Fawkes, 3. Egremont