WITH Far From the Madding Crowd (Oxford City) having a bye last week, both the Plough (Wolvercote) and the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote) had the opportunity to join their absent adversary at the top of the Premier Section.

It could well turn out, as happened with the most recent winter campaign, that the destination of the title will be the side which posts the highest number of aggregate points.

No team probably appreciates this more than the Ploughman’s Bunch! who, under their previous name of the Six Bells, were pipped by just seven points (1244-1237) at the culmination of last season.

This may account, therefore, for their going on the rampage in their latest outing, amassing a magnificent score of 88 in beating the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon), who replied with a respectable 66.

This result leaves the Bunch with a 12-point advantage over the Plough, with Far From the Madding Crowd a further 13 points adrift, all three teams boasting three wins from their three starts.

The Plough find themselves lying second after defeating a valiant White Hart (Eynsham) by the slender margin of 79-70.

Uncharacteristically, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley) have made a sluggish start to the season. They have now failed to register a single victory in their four matches played to date but, after failing to notch up more than 60 in any of their previous outings, they produced a truly sterling effort last Thursday in going down narrowly in a very high scoring tie, 77-84, to the Black Swan (East Oxford).

The Green Road Club (Kidlington) maintained their position at the head of affairs in Section One with a clinical 74-62 success over near neighbours and old rivals, the Royal Sun (Begbroke). Completing this week’s round up, the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) continued their 100 per cent record in squeezing past a brave, three-person Gardener’s Arms outfit, 70-61.

With the leaders having a bye this Thursday, both the Black Swan and the Conservative Club have the chance to overhaul the divisional pacesetters.

On paper, the Black Swan look the more likely to take advantage, as they entertain the White Hart, while the Conservative Club face a very stiff task in prospect as they welcome the visit to Roger Street of the Ploughman’s Bunch!