IN WEEK three, reigning Premiership champions the Plough (Wolvercote) were on the receiving end of a battering at the Royal Blenheim (Oxford City).

The margin of victory may have been far narrower last Thursday in the reverse fixture, but in turning the tables on their conquerors from November, the Plough have moved clear at the top of the section and look poised for a third consecutive title.

Boy, they left it late though! Ten points ahead at the half-time interval, the scores were tied at 77-77 with just one question remaining. However, in correctly answering Bobby Kennedy, the Plough scrambled across the line, exacted revenge, their vanquished opponents left manifestly bereft.

Recovering from a poor start to the season, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (also Wolvercote) extended their unbeaten run to six when expertly negotiating a tricky trip to Chipping Norton to face the Blue Boar Bees.

A packed venue relegated the two combatants to a ‘Games’ room shared with a couple of league dominoes teams – a novel experience for all. Undeterred, skipper Beth and her charges were delighted with their comprehensive 82-62 success but even more so, it has been reported, by the exquisite spicy hot chilli and chips they were dished up in the collective post-match banquet!

Only formed a few years ago, the Bletchingdon Nomads have yet to record their first divisional championship. Despite a decent start, four defeats from five outings were signalling yet another frustrating attempt.

Crucial for them then that they repelled their most recent challenge: that of fellow front-runner in the North, the Sun Inn (Hook Norton).

Level at the break, the Sun collapsed ignominiously after it, the Nomads easing home 74-57. With third-placed Chequers (Chipping Norton) losing at the White Hart (Eynsham), 73-62, the Bletchingdon outfit have once more regained the momentum in their quest for silverware.

Elsewhere, the Green Road Club (Kidlington) maintained their impressive run in seeing off the Chandos Arms. Moley’s ‘Oakley Army’ put in a heroic display but fell agonisingly short, 74-71, to a team destined for glory in the East.

Also capitalising on a purple patch, the Royal Sun (Begbroke) thwarted the efforts of the Black Swan (East Oxford), 72-63, a poor round two putting paid to the opposition’s chances.

In the ‘Battle of the Bells’, the Eight Bells (Long Crendon) overwhelmed the Bell (Lower Heyford), 65-50, whilst in a more agriculturally-themed affair, the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade) felled the Woodman (North Leigh), 74-57.

Finally, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley) were too good for an off-colour of late North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown), 73-68.

Since beating top dog the Royal Blenheim, the Con Club have singularly failed to shine in all subsequent league and tabletop encounters.

JAMES CARR'S QUESTIONS

1. Which UK No 1 record includes the line ‘get away from the pain that you drive into the heart of me’? 

2. Which BBC1 TV series is set on the fictional island of Saint Marie?

3. In the nursery rhyme The House that Jack Built, what disfigurement did the cow have?

4. Which American golfer played in his 10th Ryder Cup in 2014? 

Answers: 1 Tainted Love; 2 Death in Paradise; 3 Crumpled Horn; 4 Phil Mickelson.