Hastings 3 v Uckfield 1

 Away match against Hastings 3 last Wednesday.  Just a draw would have been probably enough to secure us in Division 2. However from some distance away from the fixture we knew we had difficulty in building a team, particularly as regards drivers, and Mark’s liaison with his counterpart drew agreement for the match to be postponed.  However the League refused the postponement which caused problems (and this has been challenged and will be again at the MSL AGM). Fortunately Steve agreed to drive a team to Hastings and with Ian travelling separately it looked as if our problems were solved – until Ian fell ill and had to withdraw on the day.  We therefore started the night badly with a default on Board 5, and Steve and Carel each moving up one.  Chaski weighed in with the win to which we have become accustomed, and Arran drew, but unfortunately Carel and Steve lost, so we faced a 1.5-3.5 defeat, which secured Hastings but plunged us further into the possibility of relegation.

Happily as Mark and I were liaising on team selection for the first team’s last match of the season, we each received an email from the MSL advising that Hastings had fielded an ineligible player on their Board 1 due to a bit of miscommunication on their part, very unlucky for them. That game result against Chaski made no difference to their result, but Hastings had to be deducted a game point from the score, so the match has now officially ended in a 2.5-2.5 draw !  That means that unless we lose 0-5 to Brighton & Hove 3 in our last game, and also Brighton & Hove 4 beat Woodpushers 1 5-0 as well, which for both to happen would be improbable, then we are safe in Division 2 for next season. However whomsoever Mark selects, let us not even though we will know the other result allow a `nil point’ on our last match of the season !