Our final match against Shrewsbury B was re-arranged to accommodate Shrewsbury lack of players and was eventually played at Telepost this week. Our generosity in re-arranging our home fixture was not repaid unfortunately as Shrewsbury put an end to our unbeaten season taking the match 3.5-1.5.
An early loss on board three started the trend as Tom Williamson's queen paid the price for venturing into Ian Davies' position and became trapped. On board five Francis Rooney went two pawns up but at the cost of giving his opponent a bishop pair which eventually proved fatal. However Karl Wakefield on board two managed to hold a draw with some good tactics after Dan Lockett had earlier been a piece up, apparently without even realising it!
The tie was sealed as Chris Pimm Jones' valiant defence in a rook and pawn ending finally came to an end, leaving Steve Rooney to do his usual trick of keeping his team waiting for a lift home before eventually grinding out a win on board one.
It would have been nice for the team to have remained unbeaten, but the more important objective this season has been to ensure games for as many players from the squad as possible. We have had the benefit of 12 players turning out for Church Stretton this season and we have managed to play all 12 games without fielding the same line-up twice!
The positive outcome has been that we now expect to run a second team next season which will join the third division while Church Stretton A will take on the county's top teams in division 1.
It will be a tough task in the top division and if we had a transfer budget, we would now be using it to nab one or two of the county's finest to bolster our squad. In the absence of that however we can promise a pint of real ale or two for any potential stars who are willing to help Stretton's challenge!
Club nights continue on Thursdays. See you there.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Friday, 8 April 2011
Division 2 champions!
Church Stretton were confirmed as Division 2 championship this week with a 3-2 away win at Ludlow. There is one more league match to play but we are now five points clear and have sealed the title.
The Ludlow tie got off to a good start with an early win for Francis Rooney on board five, who deployed the King's Gambit to good effect and whilst the king-side attack faded, he transferred into a won ending helped by three successive knight forks sweeping up his opponent''s pawns.
The match was levelled when Adrian Thorpe lost on board three amid some complications. Steve Rooney and Graham Shepherd on boards one and two both turned down earlier draw offers and went on to win, sealing the victory, while Chris Pimm Jones made his opponent Paul Munday work hard to find a checkmate against a lone king as his clock flag teetered on the brink.
Look forward to seeing members at the final league match at home next Thursday (14 April).
The Ludlow tie got off to a good start with an early win for Francis Rooney on board five, who deployed the King's Gambit to good effect and whilst the king-side attack faded, he transferred into a won ending helped by three successive knight forks sweeping up his opponent''s pawns.
The match was levelled when Adrian Thorpe lost on board three amid some complications. Steve Rooney and Graham Shepherd on boards one and two both turned down earlier draw offers and went on to win, sealing the victory, while Chris Pimm Jones made his opponent Paul Munday work hard to find a checkmate against a lone king as his clock flag teetered on the brink.
Look forward to seeing members at the final league match at home next Thursday (14 April).
Monday, 28 March 2011
Prize double for Rooneys at Hereford congress
Church Stretton's Francis and Steve Rooney both came away from the Hereford congress last weekend with prizes. Francis took third place in the Minor (U120) and the U100 grading prize, while his dad Steve was equal first in the Open.
Francis (photographed below with the other Minor prizewinners) was undefeated and finished on 3.5 points including 2 wins against higher-graded opponents. He could easily have finished in second place but for a bizarre end to the final game in his section when a local Hereford player resigned because he couldn't cope with the pressure of everyone watching, just when his opponent had managed to squander all of his advantage and create a dead-drawn position.
Steve finished on 3 points - not normally enough to win a prize, never mind a share of first place - but the section was a low-scoring affair and was a much weaker field than you'd normally find at an Open. The event suffered from a very low entry overall, perhaps because of the clash with a 4NCL weekend.
It is a well-run congress however at a good venue and the organiser is hoping to run it again next year and if so, maybe more Shropshire players will be tempted to take part.
Francis (photographed below with the other Minor prizewinners) was undefeated and finished on 3.5 points including 2 wins against higher-graded opponents. He could easily have finished in second place but for a bizarre end to the final game in his section when a local Hereford player resigned because he couldn't cope with the pressure of everyone watching, just when his opponent had managed to squander all of his advantage and create a dead-drawn position.
Steve finished on 3 points - not normally enough to win a prize, never mind a share of first place - but the section was a low-scoring affair and was a much weaker field than you'd normally find at an Open. The event suffered from a very low entry overall, perhaps because of the clash with a 4NCL weekend.
It is a well-run congress however at a good venue and the organiser is hoping to run it again next year and if so, maybe more Shropshire players will be tempted to take part.
On the up!
A home win against Telepost C clinched promotion for Church Stretton.
Graham Shepherd was captain for the match and he and board one Karl Wakefield secured draws, while Gerald Link, Eric Elwell and Chris Pimm Jones got the wins needed for a decisive 4-1 victory.
Two games left, including an away tie on 5 April at Ludlow which will probably decide the division 2 title. Ludlow have been gifted another 5-0 whitewash as Shifnal & Telford conceded their long-postponed fixture, which is likely to see both South Shropshire teams in division 1 next season. Shrewbury B are still in contention however and will be our guests for our final match of the season on 14 April.
Graham Shepherd was captain for the match and he and board one Karl Wakefield secured draws, while Gerald Link, Eric Elwell and Chris Pimm Jones got the wins needed for a decisive 4-1 victory.
Two games left, including an away tie on 5 April at Ludlow which will probably decide the division 2 title. Ludlow have been gifted another 5-0 whitewash as Shifnal & Telford conceded their long-postponed fixture, which is likely to see both South Shropshire teams in division 1 next season. Shrewbury B are still in contention however and will be our guests for our final match of the season on 14 April.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Good result at Telford
Our trip to Shifnal & Telford saw us chalk up another win to take us 3 points clear at the top of Division 2, at least for the moment ...
It was another line-up we haven't had before - will we get to the end of the season without playing the same team twice?
An early win for Gerald Link on board four got us off to a good start, which was soon followed by Karl Wakefield winning on board two when Andy Jones' position crumbled under the pressure of two pins. A draw was agreed on board three between Graham Shepherd and Roger Brown which left the two Rooneys to finish.
Francis on board 5 was a piece ahead but his opponent had better activity and gradually used his initiative to grind out a win. Steve Rooney on board one turned down a draw, which would have clinched the victory, but got the full point when Windsor Peck's flag fell in what was then a completely winning position for the Stretton captain.
Three games to go.
It was another line-up we haven't had before - will we get to the end of the season without playing the same team twice?
An early win for Gerald Link on board four got us off to a good start, which was soon followed by Karl Wakefield winning on board two when Andy Jones' position crumbled under the pressure of two pins. A draw was agreed on board three between Graham Shepherd and Roger Brown which left the two Rooneys to finish.
Francis on board 5 was a piece ahead but his opponent had better activity and gradually used his initiative to grind out a win. Steve Rooney on board one turned down a draw, which would have clinched the victory, but got the full point when Windsor Peck's flag fell in what was then a completely winning position for the Stretton captain.
Three games to go.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Squad strengthened by returning players
Two of the club's former stalwarts were welcomed back into the team for the away match at Oswestry. Karl Wakefield and David Williams played their first matches for some time, but clearly haven't got too rusty in the meantime as both chalked up wins in a 5-0 whitewash.
The return of Karl and David has reinforced our "squad" approach to this season - we have played eight matches and haven't fielded the same line-up more than once.
Tom Williams looked like he was heading to the bar very early on after winning a queen for a knight in a dozen moves but his opponent Alf Evans created a solid defensive phalanx around his king. Tom decided to play the long game and take his time in breaking through, which he eventually did after Graham Shepherd and then Karl Wakefield won their games. David Williams made it 4-0 when he became the third player in the team to win an exchange of rook for minor piece, and then a fifth win was had on board one by Steve Rooney.
Looks like we are definitely in the promotion race now!
The return of Karl and David has reinforced our "squad" approach to this season - we have played eight matches and haven't fielded the same line-up more than once.
Tom Williams looked like he was heading to the bar very early on after winning a queen for a knight in a dozen moves but his opponent Alf Evans created a solid defensive phalanx around his king. Tom decided to play the long game and take his time in breaking through, which he eventually did after Graham Shepherd and then Karl Wakefield won their games. David Williams made it 4-0 when he became the third player in the team to win an exchange of rook for minor piece, and then a fifth win was had on board one by Steve Rooney.
Looks like we are definitely in the promotion race now!
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Newport doubled
We managed to secure the double against Newport B in a 3-2 home win in the latest league match.
Newport have had a tough season and are yet to get any points, but they ran us pretty close in a hard fought match.
Eric Elwell and Adrian Thorpe snatched early wins but Newport levelled the match by winning on boards 4 and 5, leaving Steve Rooney to grind out a win in the face of some stubborn resistance by Steve Cooper.
Newport have had a tough season and are yet to get any points, but they ran us pretty close in a hard fought match.
Eric Elwell and Adrian Thorpe snatched early wins but Newport levelled the match by winning on boards 4 and 5, leaving Steve Rooney to grind out a win in the face of some stubborn resistance by Steve Cooper.
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