Horsham 1 take 2nd place in top division after final win

The first team travelled down to Crowborough for the last match of the Mid-Sussex League season, and came away 3-2 victors making us runners-up in the league overall.

The teams were fairly evenly matched on paper and a tight tussle ensued. On board 2 Dix's Hedgehog resisted Peter Kemp effectively and a draw was soon agreed. Next to finish was me on board 3, I had forced Bob Elliston to give up a pawn to avoid me building a huge centre but the pawn was doubled and isolated and it wasn't possible to make progress - another draw. On board 1 we were grateful to Mike for playing a rare away match and his very sharp kingside attack against Gareth Anthony resulted in a repetition of position with both kings in danger.

Two games went the distance. On board 5 Alex had built up a decisive endgame advantage over Gerry Michaud based on an advanced passed pawn and this was a clear win for us. On board 4 Peter had a fairly dynamically equal endgame against Amardip Ahluwalia and this one was agreed drawn.

G. Anthony 1/2-1/2 M.C. Forster
P.D. Kemp 1/2-1/2 D.N. Roberts
R.V. Elliston 1/2-1/2 A.R.J. Higgs
A. Ahluwalia 1/2-1/2 P. Harbott
G. Michaud 0-1 A. Freeland

3-2 to Horsham, which gave us 2nd in the division on game points and meant Crowborough avoided relegation, also on game points.