With a break from league action, the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) last Thursday staged the latest in the series of themed ‘Tabletop’ quizzes, on the USA.

Having come off second best the previous week in a league encounter with fellow Premier Section title contenders, Far From the Madding Crowd (Oxford City), the Plough (Wolvercote) were determined to bounce back, and this they duly achieved, and in some style.

It’s one thing to carry an advantage into a competitive arena but quite another to make it pay.

Fair play then to the Plough, who had the benefit of fielding two American ladies (and regular team members I should add) in their line up, but who held on to their collective nerve to prevail by nine points from their arch nemesis, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote), with the Royal Sun (Begbroke), nine points further back, in a very creditable third.

Attention this week reverts back to league matters, and following that setback against Far From the Madding Crowd, the Plough will surely need to overcome Thursday’s opponents, the Ploughman’s Bunch if they are to maintain a serious interest in carrying off the laurels in the Premier division.

With an expected win for Far From the Madding Crowd over the Black Swan, defeat for the Plough will result in the opening of a four point gap between them and their two championship rivals.

Having not played a fortnight ago, and in the process losing top spot in Section One, the Green Road Club (Kidlington) will be looking to reassert their authority when they travel to North Parade to take on a Gardener’s Arms outfit still in search of their first success of the season.

As mentioned previously, the Black Swan faces the daunting prospect of a trip to Far From the Madding Crowd, so their stay at the head of affairs could prove to be very short-lived. The Royal Sun, buoyed by a victory in their last league outing, as well as that good showing in the ‘Tabletop’, will be hoping to carry that good form to Bletchingdon where they take on the Black’s Head.

In the only remaining fixture of the night, the Con Club will be looking to recover from being outgunned by the ‘Bunch’ in their last match as they come up against the White Hart, but this Eynsham side is bang in form at present, after a sluggish start to the campaign.