Raymond Slatcher Memorial Trophy 2018

Post date: 25-Mar-2018 18:44:24

On Tuesday 13th March Harrogate players traveled to Ilkley to contest the 2018 match in memory of Raymond Slatcher. Incredibly this is already the sixteenth match in the series' the first being held in 2003 and only four members of the Harrogate team not being in position to remember Raymond Slatcher personally.

The match was exceptionally close on paper with some fascinating pairings; not least a relatively rare Stokes Rogerson clash on top board. In the end Ilkley proved more tenacious to run out narrow but convincing winners, the match being won on a clean sweep of boards 3-7.

Harrogate's wins all merit mention. The youngest member of the team, Mate Ther, was our first scorer when he crushed his experienced opponent. The game of the match may have been on board 8 where Richard Tate was forced to concede a rook for several pawns which he used to launch a devastating counter attack. Stuart Johnson saw off his opponent in convincing style while Cameron Funnell won on time on his Slatcher debut.

So the trophy returns to Ilkley who extend their lead in the series. As ever the 2019 installment is eagerly awaited.

1 Mick Stokes 0-1 Mark Rogerson

2 Brian Coop 1/2-1/2 Chris Wright

3 Mate Ther 1-0 Robin Browne

4 Michael Johnson 0-1 Lee Crawford

5 David Harasym 0-1 William Boothman

6 Gordon Marks 0-1 David Adam

7 Andrew Zigmond 0-1 Barry Taylor

8 Richard Tate 1-0 Bill Tait

9 Stuart Johnson 1-0 Chris Woodthorpe

10 Jim Postill 0-1 Peter Ward

11 Cameron Funnell 1-0 Arthur Thompson

12 Ranyl Hughes 1/2-1/2 Martin Hawkins

5-7