We welcomed Clevedon for the KO Final and were glad to be at full strength for the first time in this competition. Clevedon, although lacking their top board, still posed a serious threat and, while we had an average grading advantage of around 20 points, cup ties have a knack of levelling things. And so it transpired.

The first significant happenings were on board 6, where Michael M's opponent made an incorrect 6th move allowing an attack which looked crushing at first sight but in fact only netted a-pawn. Still, that was more than on any other board, where some blocked positions were already looking drawish.

Indeed the first points on the board were all draws. Michael B had pressure on the queenside but accurate defence held the position. Chris's game was much wilder but hostilities were also terminated quite soon and Nigel with two knights against bishops in a fairly blocked position strove hard to utilise their potential but in the end could not make a significant breakthrough.

So 1.5 each and overall the other games looked in our favour: Richard was solid and pressing, Martin was ahead in development and pressing, Jerry had recovered from a seemingly passive position to have most of the threats in a rook ending, Michael M was aiming to convert his pawn advantage and only Humphrey seemed to be in trouble. He had to concede the exchange but had a healthy time advantage.

Things became clearer when first Martin was unable to make anything of his pressure and agreed a draw but Michael M carefully converted his advantage to make the score 3-2. But with Humphrey in danger of losing on board 5 we needed either 1.5 from Richard and Jerry or a win from Richard to avoid losing on board count.

As time ran out on the last three boards Richard was two pawns up in a single rook ending but did he have enough time to win? Jerry's game was frantic and Humphrey had chances of a swindle because of the clock. Quite suddenly nearly everything went against us as first Jerry and then Humphrey had to concede, making it 4-3 to the visitors. Richard had found a tactic to eliminate the rooks and finally queened but with only seconds remaining it was unclear if he had time to secure the point. To the home crowd's huge relief he delivered mate in the nick of time, making it 4-4. With wins on 2 and 6 we outpointed their wins on 5 and 7.

So, well done, team, and well done also to Clevedon, whose Davids left the Goliaths of Downend and Fishponds bruised and battered but delighted to have won a major trophy for the first time for several years. In all honesty we should not consider ourselves Goliaths but they were very well blessed with Davids and certainly helped to provide a fitting and memorable climax to the season!