Haywards Heath (3) 0.5 – 3.5 Hastings & St Leonards (3)
Congratulations to our Third team in the Sussex league who, on Thursday evening won their final game of the season to gain promotion to the second division!
Third placed Horsham fourths put the pressure on us by spanking Haywards Heath seconds on Tuesday night 4-0 winning their game in hand and coming within a point of our team. With one game each, Hastings had to win to seal the promotion , a draw may have been enough but given the form of Horsham, another 4-0 win would draw on match points but their board difference would be superior, denying us promotion.
Hastings currently sit top of the table but Brighton have two games in hand and only a point behind. The title might be ours but it’s unlikely Brighton will slip up.
On the night all our players went up early in all games with Marc a pawn up and 6th rank monster pawn in a Roy Lopez which he converted eventually. Adrian a pawn up in a Queens Gambit and as usual navigated the tactics perfectly to bring home the win. Mason an exchange up in a Sicilian Mengarini variation (an unusual line involving an early wing attack for white), surrendering the fiachettoed black squared bishop and groveling for the rest of the game but eventually getting a draw. New team member Caelan Rooney played a little trick in the opening to get massive pawn duo centre although gave up castling rights when his opponent sacked a bishop on f2. The strong centre was too much and Caelan dominated the game from then on.
(b) Falvey James 0-1 Caelan Rooney
(w) Matthew File 0.5-0.5 Mason Woodhams
(b) Alan Davey 0-1 Adrian Cload
(w) Chris Baldry 0-1 Marc Bryant
Congratulations to all team members and good luck in Division 2 next season. The Thirds were:
Adrian Cload
Mason Woodhams (Captain)
Derek Cosens
Chris Hann
Marc Bryant
Jim Wheeler
Leon Sazkissyan
Caelan Rooney
Greg Chandler.