Wednesday 25 March 2015

B team conclude with emphatic win

The B team remain at the top of division 3 following their final league game which resulted in a 3-1 win.

The win puts them four points clear of second-placed Newport B who still have two matches to play. If Newport B win both of those they need to chalk up 7 game points to overtake Church Stretton B. An interesting finish but it means the B team need to wait another few weeks before they know whether they will take the title.

However, a great result in any case. Well done to B team captain Tom who regularly selected others and sat out himself to ensure a good spread of players got matches and a strong line-up. The team were undefeated throughout the season, only conceding two draws - both to Newport B.

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Division 2 champions

Another match, another default.

A rather unsatisfactory way to clinch the division 2 title, but not much we can do if opponents concede before a pawn is pushed. Wellington B defaulted this week meaning we have now 'enjoyed' three match defaults in the last six matches and notched up our sixth 5-0 scoreline in a row.

Only one match to go although it doesn't count for anything and let's hope our opponents turn up for that one!

Best of luck to the B team tonight at Newport - a good win could help them to the div 3 title. (While they are there they might well ask why the inter-club match involving one of their rivals has not been played nearly two months after it was scheduled.)

Friday 13 March 2015

Emphatic scoreline seals promotion

Our fourth 5-0 score in a row secured promotion back to division one for the A team. Once again, the score flattered a little and an hour and a half into the match we were still looking for that elusive game point needed to ensure we finished in the top two.

Eventually Karl got the win - although he missed the promised pint from the captain who was still absorbed in his game! Karl looked like winning much earlier to my cursory glance but he opted to move into a rook ending and managed to get the first point on the board. David followed next, having rescued his position from an unconvincing approach to the opening - his own admission, not captain's criticism you'll understand.

This left three games to run and the top two boards didn't look like promising more than draws, but Trevor eventually broke through after his opponent moved a rook to a wrong square. Just one slip and Trevor will get you! Steve had his opponent's rook marooned but it was nursing a blockaded pawn on the seventh rank so chances for all three results. In the end, a swindle emerged which delivered a mating net with the two rooks, leaving Norman to forlornly queen his pawn two moves before mate was delivered.

Michael's opponent battled on but eventually succumbed to make it a clean sweep.

With the game points stacking up, we are now in a strong position for the title, but still two games to go including one against second-placed and fellow-promoted side Telford B.

Church Stretton A 5 Shrewsbury B 0

T Brotherton 1, M Smith 0; 
S Rooney 1, N O'Connor 0; 
M Bukojemski 1, I Salter 0; 
K Wakefield 1, I Davies 0; 
D Hodge 1, A Purser 0.

(There was some discussion on the night about the fact that Telford B's postponed fixture against their own C team had eventually been played, but that the C team had defaulted a board to give the B team an easy victory. The result was reported this week, although it's not clear if that was when the match was played as the fixture list was not kept up to date. Obviously, teams often struggle for players but an inter-club match should be played on the original date prescribed by the league controller, barring natural catastrophe, and be between two full teams. In the event, Shrewsbury B can't now catch Telford B, but if they had ended up on the same match points, I suspect there would have been questions raised. Matches are now being regularly postponed because a team can't raise a side which is not really an adequate reason. Perhaps the issue of postponements needs to be revisited at the next league agm.)


Thursday 12 March 2015

Just one point needed for A team promotion

With three matches to go, Church Stretton A need just one point to assure promotion - one game point that is, since the recent run of 5-0 results (including defaults) has meant our game points put us almost out of reach of Shrewsbury B, but not quite.

It is possible for Shrewsbury B to overtake us if they win their last three games 5-0, and we lose our last three games 5-0. I am not going to tempt fate by saying how likely that is!

All will be resolved tonight however, as we play Shrewsbury B at home. A pint for the first winner ...

Monday 9 March 2015

Comfortable win for B team

Church Stretton B have now been joined by Newport B in the confirmed promotion slots from division 3. The race is still on for the division title however.

The team may need to score heavily in their final game against Newport Juniors later this month to head off the challenge from the same club's B team.

The last result from the B team saw a 3.5-0.5 win against Telepost C with wins for Graham, Tom and John C, plus a draw for John W.

Telepost C 0.5 - Church Stretton B 3.5

Q Mills 0, G Shepherd 1; 
C Micallef 0.5, J Westhead 0.5; 
N Holmes 0, T Williamson 1; 
S Sweeney 0, J Casewell 1.