Easteligh WMC - Stoneham D

Our match at Eastleigh (WMC) had the usual ingredients of a match at Eastleigh (WMC) good food and not everything occurring to a standard pattern.

Myself and my players arrived before anyone from Eastleigh (WMC) and we started at 7.50 pm. With both matches played at Eastleigh (WMC) we came to an agreement on colours, but on one board the players played with the wrong colours.

First blood came to us at 8.20 when after half an hours play Dan Chandler's opponent had not arrived and we won that game by default. Rob Sims then won his opponents queen and although it took a while considering his material advantage to win it.

On board 1 Graham Payne was a pawn up and had exchanged all the minor pieces and refused a draw offer, but then lost a rook to a pin.

On board 5 Jeff Langran was a rook and a bishop up, but such was the mobility of his pieces that his extra material was not in the game and he had some threats to deal with before making the advantage tell. Jeff played one or two clever combinations and when he forced an exchange of queens that effectively clinched victory.

As expected Nobby George's extra rook proved too much for Graham who played a good game apart from the one mistake and Mike Henbury on board 2 produced an attack that enabled him to win his game.

As captain it is also satisfying when last minute replacements like Rob and Jeff who were both called the night before to replace players who had to drop out produce the goods. My aim for the season was to avoid finishing bottom of the table. Only a bizarre series of results could now enable this to happen.

Malcolm Clarke - Stoneham D  Match Captain