Saturday 20 December 2008

A team drop to foot of table

The A team ended the first half of the season at the bottom of division one following a defeat to Telepost B who started the match on the same points as Church Stretton A.

Gerald Link turned down an early draw in his match agains Peter Crean but lost out in a king and pawn ending. Karl Wakefield then fell to a tactical trap by his opponent Bob Simpson having started out with a promising position from a familiar opening. Tom Williamson's game against Steve Kempsell ended in a draw in a position that appeared to offer chances to both sides.

On board four David Williams launched a ferocious attack against John Westhead's exposed king but in the process sacrificed two pieces. Unable to find the killer punch David eventually succumbed. This left Steve Rooney to try and salvage something despite the match being lost. He won an important pawn against John Bashall but this is often not enough in what developed into an opposite bishop's ending. However John's position became very passive and eventually Steve's king invaded the enemy territory and forced the win of another pawn resulting in his opponent's resignation.

Church Stretton 1.5-3.5 Telepost B
S Rooney 1-0 J Bashall
K Wakefield 0-1 R Simpson
G Link 0-1 P Crean
D Williams 0-1 J Westhead
T Williamson 0.5-0.5 S Kempsell

B team lose out at Shrewsbury

The B team lost their derby match with Shrewsbury B despite a good win for on-form David Williams on board one and a good draw for Tom Williamson on board 3.

Shrewsbury B 3.5-1.5 Church Stretton B
D Lockett 0-1 D Williams
M Smith 1-0 A Thorpe 0
N O'Connor 0.5-0.5 T Williamson
A Lewis 1-0 Default
I Salter 1-0 C Pimm-Jones 0.

Tuesday 2 December 2008

A team crash at Oswestry

Oswestry A's renewed strength this season proved too much for visitors Church Stretton A last night. The match ended 4-1 to Oswestry although the games were a bit closer than the scoreline indicated.

16-year old Ieuan Fenton kept up his good form with a win over Graham Shepherd on board three after losing an exchange in what turned out to be a very good sacrifice giving him a strong attack on the king's side. John Whittaker on board four resigned his game thinking he was going to lose a rook, although afterwards he realised that the position was about even. It is ironic that this was almost a carbon copy of an game earlier this season when Graham Shepherd resigned in similar cirumstances when John Whittaker was on the fortunate receiving end playing in the Church Stretton-Ludlow match in division two.

Oswestry went further ahead when Gerald Link finally succumbed to Simon Hughes' queen side pressure which resulted from a Benko Gambit. And Tom Williamson lost on time in a position that was roughly even. Church Stretton's only point came from the final game when Steve Rooney converted an extra passed pawn into a win against Richard Evans.

Oswestry A 4-1 Church Stretton A
S Hughes 1-0 Gerald Link
R Evans 0-1 S Rooney
I Fenton 1-0 G Shepherd
A Peile 1-0 J Whittaker
G Hampson 1-0 T Williamson