It has been a marvellous season for the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote). Pipped at the post for the Premiership title in the most recent winter campaign, they have responded magnificently by not only securing three Tabletop victories this summer, but also, last Thursday, in successfully defending their Premier Section championship.

Requiring a win over Far From The Madding Crowd ‘A’ (Oxford City), they put in a solid performance against slightly below-strength opposition to register an 81-68 scoreline and thereby denying their stablemate, The Plough, the opportunity to add the summer title to the winter version they achieved just six months earlier.

The Plough did end their season on a high of sorts. In ‘The Cat’s’ final game as skipper, his troops despatched the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), 79-62, but now the internal inquiries will begin in order to fathom out how a whole season could pass without the landing of a single item of silverware.

Similar soul-searching may well be undertaken at the Green Road Club (Kidlington). For a side packed with great individual talent, surely capable of mixing it with the big guns in the top division, the frustration at continually not getting the job done must be limitless. Needing one win from their last two matches to take the Section One title, the Green Road firstly suffered a setback against the White Hart (Eynsham), and then followed that up five days ago by perishing at the hands of the Royal Sun (Begbroke), 65-69. Not quite believing their luck, the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown), who had experienced humiliating defeats themselves in recent games, capitalised on the Green Road’s misfortune and regained the title they had secured a year ago, courtesy of a resounding, 77-44 success over the White Hart. That victory for the Royal Sun enabled them to finish as runners up with the Green Road Club having to settle for third place.

In fourth spot are the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade), who completed their programme with a 66-57 triumph over the Black Swan (East Oxford). The victors now enter this Thursday’s season finale, the handicapped Janet Priest/Laurence Stevens Memorial Trophy, as slight favourites, and it would be very fitting should they bag this award named as a tribute to two of their former team-mates.

In the one remaining tie of the evening, the ‘basement battle’ between the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon) and Far From The Madding Crowd ‘B’ was won by the former, 66-50, and so consigned their vanquished opponents to last place in the division.

Still, despite being a steep learning curve for the ‘Young ‘Uns’, I know it has been immensely enjoyable for them in what has been only their second season quizzing and they will continue to improve. After all, they have actually learnt how to put names to faces in picture rounds.