In an extremely tense yet exciting finish to the top of the table clash between Far From The Madding Crowd (Oxford City) and the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote) last Thursday evening, both sides salvaged a draw, 76 -76, each having squandered several good chances to land the spoils.

This outcome far better suited the Wolvercote outfit who, with only two fixtures remaining, realistically need only one win to secure the Premier Section laurels and banish memories of having lost out so narrowly in the championship chases last winter and last summer.

Standing in the Bunch’s! way this week are visitors the Royal Sun (Begbroke), whom they will be hoping do not repeat the dose after they effectively ended the title aspirations of the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) in Section One, with an emphatic 76-63 success.

Understandably, Far From The Madding Crowd may have half an eye on events in Wolvercote, but they will need to maintain focus in their own home tie as they entertain the Plough (Wolvercote), where a victory for the latter will enable them to leapfrog their hosts into second spot. The Plough are on a decent run of form of late, having despatched Section One pacesetters, and still likely champions, the Green Road Club (Kidlington), 77 points to 69.

Any disappointment the Green Road Club might have felt could have been tempered with the knowledge that nearest rivals, the Con Club, were suffering that battering in Begbroke. Their four-point lead at the head of affairs remained intact and victory over old adversaries, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), this Thursday will deservedly secure them the honours.

Those canny gents from Botley will be no pushover however, as they travel to Kidlington buoyed by successive victories, the latest a comfortable 70-57 triumph over the Black Swan (East Oxford).

In the only other game last Thursday, the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade) failed yet again in their quest to register a first win of the season. On this occasion they succumbed 74-56, to the White Hart (Eynsham). With only one match left in their campaign, in a fortnight’s time against the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon), they will be desperate to avoid the dreaded whitewash.

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