MONTHLY ROUND-UP: MAY 1868
Newcomers the Royal Artillery Barracks still lead the way in the Metropolitan League at the end of May, although their undefeated start came to an end against Greenwich and they were also defeated by the second-placed City of London Club. The City Club will probably feel that they should be closer in the standings, but they undid the good work of that victory by falling in extra innings against Greenwich in their next game. Angel Islington have lost ground, despite beating the City Club earlier in the month, as they then fell to defeat in each of their next three games.
Angel share third place with champions The Regent’s Park, who inflicted one of those three successive defeats only to go down 7-0 to lowly Kensington a week later. The Old Westminsters are improving, having won their last three including victory over Angel, but still have a losing record for the year. They sit alongside Greenwich and fractionally ahead of Clapham, while Kensington had lost nine of their first ten before their impressive victory over the Regents.
In Oxford, most of the teams have eight games to play in the first University Championship and long-time leaders Magdalen College have been caught at the top of the standings, after winning just four and losing four of their eight games in May. One of their defeats was the pre-season favourites Brasenose, who won eight games out of nine in the month including the last six in succession to join Magdalen in a tie for first place. Trinity, Christ Church and New College are certainly not out of the running either, as a close finish looks to be certain.
