Perhaps Kieran can tell us....

"WIST has been kind to us this season with its venues.  The unforgettable Travellers Call back in November and tonight the Alexandra in Edgeley.  A proper pub, only a few minutes walk away for Martin and me (which is a big point in its favour) with decent beer, four or five rooms each with a different feel, one of them even boasting a fully functioning integral parrot.  It's a bit too far off the WithQuiz circuit to become our new home but there's two Donutz who would be very happy to relocate there from the start of next season. 

The Alexandra are old friends - it doesn't seem right to call them opponents.  Tonight's match was a repeat of the 2010 final and the result was exactly the same, a Dunkers win by 9 points.  Each team had added 10 to its total score in the intervening 8 years, however, which says something confusing about the ageing process. 

After last week's nail biting title decider this was a much more straightforward affair, at least from our standpoint.  We won the first half Stockport format by 7, and more or less stayed even in the Withington second half. 

Oh there's the cup starting next week.  Still time then."

From the home team Mike W sends these words....

"We knew that to have even the slightest chance of beating the Dunkers in our latest European meeting we would need all the stars to be in alignment.  They weren't.  Our opponents won the first (Stockport-style) round by seven and honours were even in the themed written round, meaning we had work to do in the second (WithQuiz format) half.  We were then hit by the DD juggernaut, losing rounds 3 and 4 by an aggregate of 16-6 and it was threatening to become an absolute stuffing.  We actually managed to win the last two rounds to give an air of respectability to the score, but the Dunkers were comfortable winners.  They beat us on two-pointers, one-pointers and steals - to put it another way, they knew quite a few more answers than we did.

Despite getting a hammering the evening was hugely enjoyable.  The game was played in a sporting and light-hearted (I want to say 'convivial') manner and the Donuts were, as ever, engaging company.  They are a formidable team and are worthy winners.  We're already looking forward to next season's competition."

The Bards of Didsbury lost to The Printers who become the first Stockport team to hoist the Lowly Grail (formerly A-Trophy) Cup.  Many congratulations from all in South Manchester.

Regular WithQuiz hacks Ivor and Mike H were on hand to tell the tale.

...and then Mike H....

In the Alex v Dunkers match (which I watched) there were very few that went unanswered and plenty that yielded a reward after some inspired conferences.  It wasn't a quick paper to negotiate (nor an easy one for the QM who had quite a few pronunciation challenges) but it did give much entertainment.

From the victors' table Kieran sort of agrees with me....

"It was agreed that Greg had set an excellent quiz; just the right level of difficulty and much to interest and entertain.  Setting 'Stockport-style' pairs it is especially tricky to get the balance right, and not to signpost the second question of the pair.  As an observer my favourite round was the Dundee comic classic characters - old quizzers always relish a trip down memory lane.  Young people think our childhood world was pictured in black and white but it wasn’t (though our TVs were).  Dennis, Figaro, Pansy Potter and Little Plum were black and red.  Happy days."

Mike W and his colleagues on the Alex team also had some kind words on Greg's paper....

Based on the American style of writing dates, which unofficial annual holiday is celebrated by scientists between 2 minutes past 6 in the morning and 2 minutes past 6 in the evening on October 23rd?