University Challenge 2016-17: Round 1: Match 5: Oriel vs Manchester

Evening all. An early start today due to the Olympics being moved to BBC2 to allow EastEnders to be shown on BBC1. Thankfully, most of the Twittersphere made it on time. And well done to our old friend James Gratrex, who finished third in this afternoon's Fifteen-to-One 2.0; the final of that is on Thursday, and I will of course recap it at some point. On with tonight.

Oriel College Oxford is one of Oxford's oldest colleges, founded in 1326. Alumni include historian AJP Taylor, maths genius Rachel Riley and quiz legend David Stainer, who captained the Oriel side that finished second in UC in 98-99. They were runners-up again the following year, but their most recent performance before tonight, in 2003-04, was a heavy first round defeat. This year's foursome were:
Eoin Monaghan, from Banbridge in County Down, studying PPE
Alec Siantonas, from Cambridge, studying Philosophy
Captain: Nathan Helms, from Dallas, studying Philosophy
Tobias Thornes, from Worcestershire, studying Atmospheric Physics

Manchester University has been nicknamed by WW 'the Team Everyone Wants to Beat', due to its exceptional record on UC in the ten years from the merge with UMIST in 2004, winning four times (once by default after that disqualification, of course) and reaching at least the semis every other time. The bubble has deflated in the past two years though, with defeats in the second round two years ago, and the first last year. No doubt hoping to re-establish the formidable reputation were this year's quartet of:
Aaron Morrison-Griffiths, from Liverpool, studying Medicine
Jane Scanlon, from Reading, studying Linguistics
Captain: Joseph Bath, from Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, studying Physics with Philosophy
Owen Michael, from Colwyn Bay, studying Maths

Off we set again then, and Mr Michael took the first starter of the night for Manchester, and two bonuses on women born in the 1870s. Mr Michael then lost five after misunderstanding the question; Oriel couldn't capitalise, but Mr Thornes promptly opened the Oxford side's account, and all three bonuses on Germanic tribes. Another misunderstanding saw Manchester miss another starter, and they then lost another five; Mr Monaghan (another Countdown alumnus, runner-up of the Autumn 2010 series) took the points, but just one bonus followed this time. The first picture round, on equations and their eponymous formulators, went to Manchester, who took one, which reduced their deficit to 40-25.

Mr Siantonas moved the Oxford side further ahead, and a bonus set of declarations of love in 19th century literature saw Paxo struggle to keep a straight face numerous times! Two were taken. Another penalty dropped Manchester further back, and allowed Mr Monaghan to take the points; the resultant bonuses on the 80s miners strike gave us the second best comedy moment of the night, with them suggesting a Mr D. Trump was involved! (I got Arthur Scargill and Sir Ian MacGregor) Mr Bath brought Manchester back into proceedings, and the old trick of saying the same thing to all three bonuses earned them five points on the final one!

The music starter saw Mr Siantonas give us the best comedy moment of the night by mistaking Bo Diddley for Cole Porter! ("COLE PORTER?!") The bonuses, on tracks written around the Bo Diddley beat, eventually went to Oriel, who dropped all three (though they were unlucky to offer Wham! instead of George Michael), but they still led 85-35. Mr Helms upped that lead by taking the next starter, and two bonuses took them into triple figures. A penalty then allowed Manchester to regain possession, and they took one bonus on opera. An unlucky penalty then cost Oriel another five and allowed Manchester a second starter in a row; a full bonus set on chemical elements cut the gap to just twenty going into the final round.

The second picture round, on paintings acquired by the Art Fund, went to Oriel, who took two, which increased the lead to 115-75. That gap increased when Mr Helms took the next starter, and again when they took two bonuses. Manchester would have to go for it were they to catch up now.

Mr Michael buzzed on the next starter, but no answer came, and the floor was immediately thrown over to Oriel; when Mr Monaghan took the points, that was game over. Just the one bonus followed, but it didn't really matter now. Manchester did take the next starter, but they didn't quite make it to triple figures, taking two bonuses. The next starter was asked, but the gong meant no-one got a chance to answer. Oriel won 150-95.

A decent match despite the low scores. Unlucky Manchester, who, for the third year in a row, were undone on the buzzer despite showing some promise when they did get in, but thanks for taking part anyway. Well done Oriel though, and best of luck in the next round!

Messrs Monaghan and Siantonas were joint best buzzers of the night with three starters each, while Messrs Bath and Michael were joint best for Manchester with three. On the bonuses, Oriel converted a decent 14 out of 27 (with two penalties), while Manchester managed an also decent 10 out of 18 (with three penalties), and, for the fourth time this series, all eight players got at least one starter right.

Next week's match: Emmanuel College Cambridge (returning for the first time since Guttenplan-mania) vs Nottingham

Only Connect was in it's usual time slot tonight, and it was another odd match with some very tough walls. More info tomorrow.