B team hoping third trip to Newport will be the charm
Shrewsbury B will look to end the club’s apparent autumnal hoodoo at Newport when they bid to get their Shropshire Chess League division two campaign up and running.
Richard Vernon’s side will travel to face Newport Junior B on Tuesday with both clubs searching for their first points of the season, writes Peter Kitchen.
The match falls within an intriguing subplot between the two clubs. It will be the third week in the last four that Shrewsbury teams have travelled to Newport Royal British Legion – and Shrewsbury are yet to pick up a point from any of them.
Shrewsbury A lost 5-0 against Newport A as Shrewsbury C went down 3.5-0.5 to Newport B two weeks ago. Then on Tuesday night Shrewsbury A were humbled 4-1 by Newport Junior A.
The C team at least restored some club pride the following evening by defeating Newport Knights to claim their first league win of the season – but a win in Newport’s back yard has so far this season remained elusive.
Shrewsbury B have lost their opening three games since promotion from division three last season – but after a tricky start with a 5-0 loss to Oswestry A they have been increasingly competitive since.
Last time out they were edged out 3-2 in a local derby away to an experienced Darwinian Knights B team that last season finished in the division two promotion places.
The hosts included Nick Graham – a key component of title-winning Shrewsbury and Telepost sides some 20 years ago – on top board, while Shrewsbury could only field four players after Ben Howells had to withdraw at short notice. But it didn’t stop Shrewsbury ruffling the feathers of the favourites on the night.
Skipper Vernon got the visitors off to a flyer with a spectacular win over Cesar Pileggi on board three, checkmating his higher-rated opponent in just 18 moves to level the scores. But Dennis Bonner restored the hosts’ lead by defeating Nick Nuthall on board four, and despite the best efforts of Ivor Salter and David Edwards on the top two boards, there were to be no more decisive result.
Edwards missed an opportunity to pressurise John Westhead on an ending with a rook and extra pawn against a bishop and knight on board two, but had to settle for a draw, as did Salter against Graham on top board.
Despite the defeat, Vernon said there had been a lot of positives on the night and added he had received very gracious congratulations from members of the Darwinian club for his own victory.
Nuthall also said he felt it had been his best performance competitively for Shrewsbury since joining the club in the summer.
Full scores (Shrewsbury colours in brackets):
Darwinian Knights B 3-2 Shrewsbury B
1.Nick Graham 0.5-0.5 Ivor Salter (w)
2.John Westhead 0.5-0.5 David Edwards (b)
3.Cesar Pileggi 0-1 Richard Vernon (w)
4.Dennis Bonner 1-0 Nick Nuthall (b)
5.Steve Wilson 1-0 default
Average ECF ratings – Darwinian Knights B: 1511, Shrewsbury B: 1412