University Challenge: Round 1: Match 7: Lincoln vs Manchester

OK, before we get to tonight’s game, we have to go back to February 2009, and the first semi-final of the 2008-09 series of University Challenge: Manchester vs Lincoln College Oxford. Both teams had scored one close win and two easy wins en route to the semis, and were very even in terms of points scored. A close match was expected.

But what we got instead was one of the biggest trouncings in UC history, as Manchester took the win by a whopping 345-30, the fourth biggest win of the Paxo era.

No doubt then, that Lincoln College Oxford, whos alumni include John le Carre and Dr Seuss, would be out for revenge tonight. Hoping to ‘get their own back’ (though, hopefully, without the use of gunge) were:

Victor Jones, from South Africa, studying Plant Sciences

Michael Hopkins, from Haywards Heath in West Sussex, studying Biochemistry

Captain: Jackie Thompson, from Orange County, California, studying Experimental Psychology

Hugh Reid, from Winchester, studying History

Mind you, playing Manchester is barely ever easy. The university won the last series, and on two previous occasions (albeit by default on one of those two). It has also reached at least the semi-finals of seven of the last eight series (and the one year they didn’t was because they didn’t enter!). This year’s team, with a lot to live up to, were:

David Brice, from Kingston-upon-Thames, studying Economics

Adam Barr, from Muswell Hill in London, studying Physics with Astrophysics

Captain: Richard Gilbert, from Warwickshire, studying Linguistics

Debbie Brown, from Buxton, studying Pain Epidemiology

Manchester very quickly buzzed in on the first starter; a bit too quickly in fact, and lost five. Lincoln then began a run of four correct answers, and the score after the first picture round was 65-(-5). No huge first round win looked on the cards for Manchester this year; in fact, when they incurred a second penalty, no win looked very likely!

However, they soon got going, with two correct starters lifting them into positive figures. But Lincoln were still way ahead, and at the music round, led by 125-20. Manchester did begin to pick up the pace in the next third, but were still 155-80 adrift after the second picture round.

With four minutes left, Lincoln led 175-100, and the way things were going, looked home and dry. But, as we’ve seen many times before, just because you have a big lead, it doesn’t mean you are home and dry. In the last four minutes, Manchester began a huge sprint on the buzzers, and, with barely seconds to go, were just ten points behind. Mr Barr got another starter, levelling the scores; his side missed the first bonus, got the second, and barely a split second later, the gong went! Manchester had, somehow, pulled off a come-from-behind win by 180-175! They don’t come closer than that, ladies and gentlemen!

Very hard lines to Lincoln; they led literally until the final seconds, and will surely be back in the repechage. Michael Hopkins was top scorer with five starters; his side answered 16 bonuses out of 30 with one penalty. Adam Barr and Richard Gilbert got four each for Manchester, who managed 18 bonuses out of 29 with two early penalties. That’s what won the game. Great match, well played by both sides, both of whom thoroughly deserve to return one way or another.

Next week’s match: Imperial College London vs Jesus College Cambridge

After two close matches, Only Connect was less enthralling tonight, but both sides played a good game; both were let down by a very hard Connecting Wall round, I thought, with just five points scored between them out of a possible twenty.