A TOUGH quiz resulted in a particularly low-scoring night last Thursday but it also ensured some tight contests with six of the fixtures being decided by just six or less points.

With Premiership frontrunner, the Plough (Wolvercote), having an evening off, their two title rivals, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (also Wolvercote) and the Royal Blenheim (Oxford City), seized their opportunities to draw level at the top of the table, all three now sharing identical records of won seven, lost two.

Neither had an easy ride, however!

The Bletchingdon Nomads stalked the Bunch! throughout their game but just got edged out in the closing stages to lose a belter, 66-71. Meanwhile, a very spirited Chequers almost overturned the odds and earn reward for their trek down from Chipping Norton but were eventually second best to the Blenheim, 64-68.

In another enthralling encounter, the Royal Sun (Begbroke) finally got the measure of the Green Road Club (Kidlington), something they have singularly failed to do as far back as most memories can recall.

At the half-time interval, this break with tradition hardly looked possible: the Green Road were cruising, eight points to the good. But the Royal Sun are on a roll right now. Seven victories from eight starts, Dot buzzing because the Mighty U’s are at Wembley – what’s not to like?

A resounding fightback in the second half crushed the collective spirit of the opposition and they ran out 67-62 winners.

The bookies have now installed the table-topping Royal Sun odds on favourites to land their third straight championship in the West but the White Hart (Eynsham) may have something to say about that.

An eye-catching success over a good Windrush Club (Witney) outfit leaves them hot on the heels of the leaders.

Characteristically, they almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they squandered an early seven point advantage to trail by three entering the final round. A late rally, however, did the trick and they edged across the line, 62-57.

Elsewhere, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley) continued their mini-revival when silencing the Eight Bells (Long Crendon), 65-59, whilst the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade) also recorded back to back triumphs as they repelled the dogged resistance of the ‘Oakley Army’ (Chandos Arms) by the same scoreline.

For the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) their run of poor form goes on but at least they can console themselves with the fact they were defeated by the week’s highest scorers, the Black Swan (East Oxford). Still, 58-72 was a bit of a drubbing!

In the ‘Battle of the Nortons’, ‘Hooky’ representatives, the Sun Inn, proved no match for their ‘Chippy’ counterparts, the Blue Boar Bees, eventually succumbing 50-65.

Similarly vanquished, the Bell (Lower Heyford) were thrashed 64-44 by the Woodman (North Leigh).