Periodically during the quiz season there are breaks in the league programme in order to accommodate themed ‘Tabletops’. Instead of the usual head to head encounters, teams now congregate in larger numbers at selected venues around the county.

Last Thursday witnessed such an event with the inaugural running of the Dave Jordan Memorial Trophy in honour of a great stalwart, sadly departed, of the side currently representing the Green Dragon in Haddenham. The competition posed questions on an eclectic mix of subjects but most notably science, nature, travel and rock music, reflecting wonderfully Dave’s personal pursuits and interests.

Naturally, it would have provided a fitting climax had the Green Dragon prevailed on the night but, alas, it was not to be – almost though! They performed creditably indeed, winning the leg at their home venue, racking up an impressive 138 points, and this was sufficient to propel them into second place overall. The eventual winners were the Ploughman’s Bunch (Wolvercote) who emerged from the pack gathered at the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown), taking the spoils with a score of 144. The in-form Royal Sun (Begbroke) took third, a point ahead of the Plough (Wolvercote) and the Eight Bells (Long Crendon), tied in fourth.

Newcomers Far From The Madding Crowd B (Oxford City) – aka The Young Uns, finished nine points ahead of their more exalted stablemates, and reigning Premier Section champs, FFTMC A, a result which prompted a great deal of merriment on the night. The A team will, no doubt, be determined to reassert their authority when the pair goes face to face in a couple of days time.

Indeed, the resumption of league fixtures this week throws up a number of other intriguing battles. In the top division, leaders the Plough (Wolvercote), seek to preserve their 100 per cent record with a tricky visit to the Hatchet (Childrey), a side still smarting from a one point defeat last time out. Whilst the Bunch should prove too strong for the spirited Gatehanger’s Inn (Ashendon), the Bell (Grove), in trying to sustain a credible championship challenge, tackle that very dangerous outfit from Witney, the Windrush Club.

Something has to give in Botley where home side, the Seacourt Bridge, currently sitting atop the Oxford Division, entertains their counterparts in the West, the Royal Sun. Meanwhile in the North, pacesetters, the Bell (Lower Heyford), will attempt to banish the ignominy of propping up all the participants in the Dave Jordan when they meet a Crown (Church Enstone) outfit still searching for a first victory of the campaign. Failure could let in the Blue Boar (Chipping Norton) who visit the hitherto winless Sun (Hook Norton).

Those mercurial folk from Long Crendon, the Eight Bells, will doubtless try to recreate some of the heroics of a fortnight ago, when they shared the spoils with the Ploughman’s Bunch, as they challenge the high-scoring Green Dragon. They should be full of confidence, and a success for the Bells will throw the East Division wide open.