10th March

The penultimate game of the season away to the Chester Rd Tavern a team that has won the respect of the Lemmings although they've not won a
 game turn up in good spirits and laugh and joke  - the real approx a league pub quiz. The pub itself is very friendly with real ales. It was Bob 's last game of the season and when the Lemmings won Nick was so thrilled he fell down the stairs when he got home and is hospitalised. So two down for the last game.There  was a tasty selection of sandwiches to round off the evening  - many thanks to the landlords and the team for a very pleasant evening

3rd March - Home to the Dolphin Dragons

This was the second leg of our games against the Dolphins who were currently third with 1 and 2 games in hand; the Lemmings for their part were next to bottom. But in the first leg, the Lemmings had triumphed by just one point but still felt they were peering into the abyss.

The game was about to begin when Rob the question-master noticed that not one of the C League games' questions had been collected and initiated a flurry of phone calls that resulted in four exasperated and breathless couriers bursting through the Tavern door to ensure they played a game over the next half hour.

The specialist questions were quite good, obviously the result of much thought rather than dipping into quiz books, and although the Lemmings did not score particularly well they marked them accordingly. Nevertheless they trailed by 18 points with 48 to 66 despite a beer break.

The General Knowledge had been set by the King's Gambit, their first time to do this in their first

season and this was taken into account in the marking. But there were far too many phobia questions (shouldn't be any really) although we were spared collective nouns. This led to several groans and longueurs and a further beer break in which an interim score check showed the Lemmings had closed the gap by 10 with 32 to the visitors' 22. Unfortunately they were unable to maintain this momentum eventually taking the GK rounds with 54 to 47 - reducing the overall score to a loss of 11 by 113 to 102.
The tedium of the game was broken by some jokes the punchlines being: Peruvian parrots = Inca Hoots; Elvis' Return to Zenda: and Tie a Yellow Gibbon ..!!!

Throughout there was a friendly and jocular atmosphere that Rob controlled with a deft hand.

Individual scores were Bob 9/3, Becky 3/3, Nick 9/21 and Tomo 12/6; conferred 12/12 with 3/9 pass-overs while the Dragons collected 6/9 pass-overs.

With a sigh of relief a large plate of varied tasty sandwiches appeared - many thanks to Brian, Rob and the Dolphins.

25th February Question Masters

After a night off last week, the Lemmings were question masters this week covering three venues, The Harrington Arms Gawsworth, the Robin Hood Rainow and the Chester Road Tavern.
Nick was asking at the latter, where the Nags Head, pushing the top of the table, were playing the home team who are fighting valiantly. There was some discussion (particularly from the away team) about the sinking of the White Ship, one of the History questions, but Wikipedia (the go-to resort for objections) shows this was the touchstone for that period of British history known as The Anarchy. Nevertheless the atmosphere was friendly and rounded off with a generous selection of sandwiches.

Similar objections were made at the Harrington Arms in a good-spirited game.

11th February Away to the Nags Head

Fortunately it is only a short walk from the Tavern, where the Lemmings gather, to the Nags, as it was in the tail end of storm Ciara, bitterly cold, howling wind and sleet. But the Nags is a wonderful old market pub, several storeys high with marbled floors several rooms one a huge area at the back where the game was played.The home team are old friends and adversaries sitting comfortably in second place in the League - it would never be easy even though as home team the Nags had to provide the question master.

Both sets of questions had been set by the Dolphins and were OK but the Nags quickly took control taking the specialist rounds with 79 to 57. Hoping to improve the Lemmings were disappointed to finish the General Knowledge with a similar deficit of 97 to 73 with a final score on the results sheet of 166 to 130 (although Nick's notes show the Nags had 176).

Even so, it was Bob's turn to shine with a best-ever personable best of 45 - congratulations Bob!!

Individual scores were Bob 18/27, Sunil 6/3, Nick 6/9 and Tomo 12/15 - conferred points were 11/13 with 4/6 pass-overs while the home team took 4/13 pass-overs.

The evening was rounded off with a splendid warming feast of pies, pasties and chips with gravy - many thanks to the landlady, and to the Nags for a worthy win.

4th February - Home to the Harrington Academicals

This was a battle for mid-table positions but the Lemmings remembered their previous meeting in the first half of the season when they lost by 55 points! On that occasion Bob was not playing, this time we were without Tomo who had been sent off to Wimbledon by his office and both Becky and Sunil were playing. Fortified by a roaring fire and excellent ales the Lemmings prepared for battle.

The questions had all been set by the Weaver and were very good but the Lemmings stuttered from the start and struggled to hit their stride losing the Specialist rounds with 43 to 55 - but they've made up such a difference before.

Unfortunately the Lemmings still struggled with the General Knowledge (that illicitly included a couple of collective nouns for animals) losing 83 to 46 - almost as bad as the previous encounter.

Individual scores were Bob 15/15, Sunil 3/0, Nick 12/3 and Becky 3/6. Conferred points were 10/14

with pass-overs 0/8. The Academicals picked up 7/17 pass-overs. Final score 138 to 89.

The conferred and pass-overs bring out clearly the struggles of the Lemmings and the superiority of the visitors.

Nevertheless it was a most enjoyable game, rounded off with a tasty selection of sandwiches - many thanks to the Academicals, to Brian and to Keith, question master from the Rams.

28th January home to the Rams

Back in harness after surviving the Chinese New Year and  Burns Night the Lemmings were facing their sister team the Rams who are sitting proud at the top of the B League.Playing the Rams is always a pleasant evening and we were welcomed by a blazing log fire to add to the atmosphere.
The questions we thought were very good especially the Specialist rounds as a lot of thought had gone into them including questions on astronomy, mythology and medicine.
The Lemmings put up a pretty good fight but at the end of the specs were trailing with 58 to the Rams' 63 - not beyond reach.
But in the General Knowledge the gap widened with scores of 83 to 69  leaving the Rams with a winning total of 146 to 127.
Of particular note is that Sunil has found his feet finishing with the same as our top scorer Tomo, individual scores being:
Bob 9/9, Sunil 9/15, Nick 9/12 and Tomo 15/9 conferred points were 10/16 with 6/8 pass-overs while the Rams picked up 7/6 pass-overs.
A very pleasant and good-natured evening was rounded off with a varied selection of tasty sandwiches - many thanks to Kay, to the Rams and to the question master who was good on time and fair.

22nd January Rest Period

For the second time in three weeks the Lemmings had a night off so nothing to report - sorry

14th January Away to the Robin Hood

The parish of Rainow previously boasted six pubs but now the Robin Hood stands alone and proud in the shadow of White Nancy, on the border of the Peak  District overlooking Kerridge Ridge, pock-marked with the scars of old bell mines. It is first mentioned in an 1881 map and with wooden beams, bright fire and stone walls proudly guards its heritage. With three hand-pumps and a selection of lagers etc the pub has a fine reputation for food and is a welcome stop for cyclists, hikers and nature lovers.There is a lovely black and white photo of the pub in this week's Macc Express.

The Lemmings wasted no time refreshing themselves from the long climb from the Tavern (thanks to Rob for the lift) with the well-kept ale in this the first game of the second round of the League and settled down to a pretty good set of Specialist questions from the Church House Bollington (who did both sets).
Two observations must be made here - firstly Becky knew a lot of the answers (particularly Science) but still lacks the confidence to speak up - big lesson there!! And Tomo very quickly hit his stride with an almost perfect Specialist set although he modestly claimed to be guessing.The Lemmings managed to steal ahead with 60 to the home team's 47. The General Knowledge were rather less interesting but Tomo continued his remarkable run ending with a total and personal best of 45!! The Robin Hood also came into their own in this round losing by just one point with 75. Final score 135 for the Lemmings to 123.

Individual scores were Bob 9/9 Becky 9/6  Nick 9/9 Tomo 21/24 Conferred 9/18 pass-overs 3/6 while the Robin Hood picked up 7/6 pass-overs.

It was a very pleasant evening against a friendly team rounded off with a fine selection of tasty sandwiches - many thanks to the landlord, to the home team and to the question master who was good on time-keeping.