Well, it took until the turn of the year, and the mid-point of the season, before the Green Dragon (Haddenham) finally surrendered their unbeaten record.

A tricky visit to the Black Swan (Oxford), as predicted by this column, proved every bit so, with the Crown St outfit running out surprisingly resounding winners, 72-54.

The Dragon still heads their league convincingly, but the next few weeks could well be pivotal in the destination of the East Division title with some tricky fixtures to come.

The Eight Bells (Long Crendon) are now the closest protagonists, following an impressive victory (63-50) over the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), while the King’s Arms (Wheatley) are relegated to third after defeat to the White Hart (Eynsham) by the narrowest of margins (62-61).

In the ‘basement battle’, the Gatehanger’s Inn (Ashendon) secured a second success of the campaign, overcoming the Chandos Arms (Oakley), 57-48.

Having been rooted to the foot of the table since November 3, and labelled outsiders to retain their crown, five successive wins have seen reigning champions, the Plough, move to within two points of a three-way tie at the top of the Premier Section.

Fresh from bagging both recent ‘Tabletops’, the Wolvercote unit despatched leaders, the Hatchet (Childrey), 75-66, and with their next three matches also against divisional rivals, we could yet witness them confound the odds, and take the spoils.

This Thursday, they host the Chester Arms (Oxford), who visit off the back of a 68-64 triumph at the Bell (Grove), while the other form side, the Six Bells (Headington), flush from an emphatic 79-57 roasting of the Crown (Church Enstone), travel to Childrey to face the Hatchet.

In the West, the White Hart’s win establishes them in the role of pacesetter, putting daylight between themselves and the Windrush Club (Witney), who suffered a narrow reverse (61-60) at the Chequers (Chipping Norton).

The Black’s Head stay third, but are now level on points with the Windrush, following a convincing 70-59 defeat of the North Oxford Con Club (Summertown).

Victory by 71-63 for the Green Road Club (Kidlington) over bottom side, the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade), allows them to maintain control of the Oxford Division, but only just, from the Black Swan.

The setback for the Con Club has them slip to third while creeping into fourth are the Royal Sun (Begbroke), after they got the better of the Highwayman (Kidlington) in a low-scoring affair, 57-47.

In the North, the top two clashed, resulting in a much needed win (65-48), and two points, for the Blue Boar (Chipping Norton), helping them move within one point of their vanquished opponents, and Division leaders, the Rock of Gibraltar (Enslow Bridge). The Sun Inn (Hook Norton) stay bottom with just one win from eight, but only after losing out in a nail-biter, 59-61, against the Woodman (North Leigh).