Having sat out last week’s round of league fixtures, Section One leaders the Green Road Club (Kidlington) returned to the fray with a meeting with their old rivals and near-neighbours the Royal Sun (Begbroke).

Over the years, the contests between these two great quizzing stalwarts have always been close and this re-engagement proved no exception.

The Royal Sun, champions of the West in the 2014/15 Winter Leagues, were desperate for maximum reward in order to remain within touching distance of their opponents in the title race but their aspirations are probably going to have to wait another 12 months.

The Green Road Club are in the form of their collective life, and they landed their sixth success on the bounce by edging this affair, 69-66. They now sit three points clear in the table and, with only four games left, it’s difficult to conceive of any of their closest challengers overhauling them.

Lying second prior to the evening’s activities, the Bletchingdon Nomads aspirations for silverware took a nosedive as they capitulated dramatically in their local derby at the Bell (Lower Heyford).

In the absence of a match report, one can surmise that this normally free-scoring outfit may have been short-handed as they posted the lowest total of the night, but credit to their hosts on a deserved victory in what has been a hitherto difficult comeback season following their sabbatical last winter. The 60-49 scoreline was just recompense for their efforts.

Leapfrogging the Nomads into the runner’s up spot go the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade) after they inched home in a pulsating encounter with the luckless Black Swan (East Oxford), 69-67.

Next up for them is the Green Road Club, but anything less than full points will signal closure on their hopes for the divisional trophy.

According to ‘The Cat’, skipper Vince has opined that, likely as not, the rudderless ship will be listing badly during his (Vince’s) fortnight holiday. Well, he was nearly right when the said vessel, the Plough (Wolvercote), almost ran aground in its match with the White Hart (Eynsham).

However, with the inclusion of substitute Ruth in a refreshingly predominant female line-up, the Premiership frontrunners eventually prevailed over their gallant visitors, 74-70.

Contrast their fortunes with those of stablemate, the Ploughman’s Bunch! who were annihilated, 92-60, by a rampant Royal Blenheim (Oxford City). Beware the wounded tiger however, and with nine defeats from nine outings to date, it would be a brave person to predict a positive outcome for their next opposition, the Seacourt Bridge.

The Winter Leagues 2015/16 will begin in October. If you’d like to enter a team, or are interested in joining an existing one, visit oxfordshirequizleague.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can email me at quinnd@hotmail.co.uk.

James Carr’s questions

1. Which Shakespeare character is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and potential wife of Prince Hamlet?

2. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole was written by which English authoress?

3. Which TV series had episodes titled The Early Shift, The New Inspector and The Canteen?

4. Which Arnold Schwarzenegger film had the tagline They stole his mind, now he wants it back?

Answers: 1 Ophelia, 2 Sue Townsend, 3 On The Buses, 4 Total Recall.