Evening all. So, we have arrived at the play-offs, the exciting stage of the game where we start meeting teams again. We remet the first two losing teams of the series tonight; the winners march on to the second round, the runners-up go home again.
St Peter's College Oxford lost to Liverpool 205-130 in their first match, losing out to a late rally by their opponents. We didn't think they'd quite done enough to come back, but they had, and were the same foursome as before:
Isaac Kang, from Sutton in Surrey, studying Medicine
Jeremy Thundow, from Herne Bay in Kent, studying Physics
Captain: Nathan Gower, from Lewes in East Sussex, studying Ancient History
Yaroslav Sky Walker, from Little Chalfont on the Buckinghamshire-Hertfordshire border, studying Theology
Glasgow lost the first match of the series to Peterhouse Cambridge 185-155. We all excpeted they'd be back, but I don't think we expected their score would be the highest losing score of the first round. They too were the same as before:
Andrew Davidson, from Stranraer, studying Medicine
Vitali Brejevs, from Riga, studying Maths
Captain: Evelyn McMenamin, from North London, studying Geography
Ollie Allen, from Catford in London, studying Maths
Off we set again then, and, straight away, controversy, as Mr Gower was fined for cutting in on the final syllable of the question. And just as Weaver's Week had expressed happiness at this not happening as much this series. Glasgow got off the mark first, and took one just one bonus. St Peter's made up for their earlier slip, and took a full set of bonuses to take a small lead. Glasgow easily overhauled that lead with the next starter, and two bonuses on physics. The first picture round, on maps of fielding positions in cricket, went to St Peter's, who, again, took all three bonuses, and thus led 45-35.
That lead increased as Mr Gower took the next starter, and a complex bonus set on US states and their major cities only gave them one bonus. Glasgow lost five on the next starter, and Mr Walker talked himself of the correct answer and instead said an answer he knew was wrong as soon as he said it! Much hilarity ensued, though Paxo maybe rubbed it in a bit much! Glasgow made up for their slip, and pulled back within ten. The sides then swapped starters, both taking one bonus. Glasgow lost another five, but then took another starter, and, with the resulting bonuses, the lead.
The music round, on sax solos in pop music, went to Glasgow, who took just the one bonus, and upped their lead to 95-75. Mr Brejevs, who, like last time, was proving his side's key player, took the next starter, but, again, just one bonus followed. St Peter's broke back into the game with the next starter, but got nothing from a getable set of bonuses on the Jodrell Bank telescope. Mr Walker then had the misfortune to confuse Nutella with marzipan, giving Glasgow the points, but a set of bonuses on horses got them no further points.
The second picture starter was dropped by both sides, and St Peter's lost five on one of the replacement starters (which Paxo chose not to finish after handing it over, for some reason). The picture bonuses, on works by artists of the Bauhaus movement, went to Glasgow, who now had a lead of 145-80. Teetering on an unassailable lead, and another starter seemed to pretty much confirm this. Another slip-up from St Peter's, another starter to Glasgow, and that was game over.
But St Peter's were going to go out with a late rally, taking two starters in a row, and half the bonuses that came with them, including one from a set on footballing decades. (Long gone are the days when Wolves would win the league and Newcastle would win the FA Cup!) One final starter went to St Peter's, but the gong cut them off before the bonuses could start. Glasgow won 180-120.
An entertaining and enjoyable match. Unlucky St Peter's, who were unlucky on a few of their buzzes, but well done anyway on another very respectable effort. Well done to Glasgow though on another good effort, and we'll see you again in the second round! (If past seasons are anything to go on, in the third match of it)
Mr Brejevs was the best buzzer of the night, equaling his starter tally of six from the first round, while Mr Gower was best for St Peter's, also equaling his first round tally of four. On the bonuses, St Peter's converted a decent 11 out of 21 (with three penalties), while Glasgow managed 16 out of 33 (with two penalties); I suspect they made need to improve that a bit in the next round.
Next week's match: Southampton vs Queen Mary in the second play-off
Only Connect was, as seems to be the case every week this series, a good close match. I'll review it next week alongside next week's match, as I'm away this week.
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