Smudger salvages point for battling A team
Mark Smith’s victory in the final game to finish, secured an important point for Shrewsbury A in their crucial relegation clash with fellow strugglers Newport A.
Smith defeated Phil Love with the black pieces on bottom board to cancel out Charles Lowick Higgie’s earlier defeat against Nick Rutter on top board to ensure the match finish all square.
It was a fitting result following a tense match where all five boards were closely contested throughout.
Shrewsbury had climbed out of the relegation zone with their derby win over champions-elect Telepost A last time out – but Newport A had since defeated Maddocks A to climb back above Shrewsbury on “goal difference”.
The result leaves Shrewsbury in the relegation zone but level on points with Newport A and just two points adrift of Oswestry A, whose visit to Cromwell’s on April 2 could be a pivotal one.
Shrewsbury made one change from the Telepost triumph, with Olusegun Ilesanmi coming into the team in board three and captain Dan Lockett dropping out. Jamie Hopkins remained unavailable.
Newport themselves were close to full strength and made just one change, with Love replacing Joe Greenwood on bottom board.
After both Higgie and Stephen Priestley had draw offers turned down in their games, the first game to finish was a draw. Peter Kitchen and Chris Lewis fought a tense battle in a Caro Kann on board two, with Kitchen (who had the white pieces) accepting a draw on move 25 in a very level looking position with two rooks and opposite coloured bishops.
Higgie then lost to Rutter, whose position on the white side of a Sicilian Najdorf always looked a bit too powerful.
The remaining three games went deep into the night. Priestley and Ian Jamieson had quickly reached a blocked up strategic ending on board four. Priestley actually managed to win a pawn, but in doing so sent a knight offside and the experienced Jamieson was comfortably able to hold the draw.
On board three, Olusegun Ilesanmi had been a pawn up on the black side of an off-beat looking Catalan-style structure against David Lord, but in a position with mutual chances the game was eventually drawn.
That left all hopes resting on Smith. He had allowed Love a passed pawn knowing he could blockade it with a knight. At one point he had give up an exchange to win that pawn, but despite his material deficit his connected passed pawns in the middle of the board won the day in the ensuing ending. A super result under pressure!
This was a truly battling performance that yielded a fully-merited and hard-earned point. With three matches to go, it’s looking increasingly likely that something could be riding on Shrewsbury’s trip to Newport on the final day. What an exciting end to the season there is in store!
Full scores:
Shrewsbury A 2.5-2.5 Newport A (Shrewsbury colours in brackets)
1. Charles Lowick Higgie (b) 0-1 Nick Rutter
2. Peter Kitchen (w) 0.5-0.5 Chris Lewis
3. Olusegun Ilesanmi (b) 0.5-0.5 David Lord
4. Stephen Priestley (w) 0.5-0.5 Ian Jamieson
5. Mark Smith (b) 1-0 Phil Love