We went to play Clifton A well aware that we would be underdogs and in fact they drafted in a B-team player graded higher than their lower boards. No matter! We were capable of putting up a fight on all boards, and so it transpired.

The trouble was that we didn't achieve any dominating positions, other than those the computer annoyingly pointed out subsequently. Possibly the nearest we had to a plus was my game - at least Dominic was content to offer a draw on move 15. A quick look around suggested that Nigel was struggling against James and Dave was very short of time against Duncan, so if we were going to get anything from the match I had better play on. Not a bad decision in itself but, wouldn't you know it, my next move was a blunder which left me a piece down for two pawns.

Most of the other games drifted against us thanks to various miscalculations, some abetted by the clock. Nigel, Javier (against John), Michael (against Gareth) and Dave each eventually yielded a-pawn which in the end proved fatal but not until a minimum of 38 moves had been played - and at least 60 in two of them. In fact Dave succeeded in winning his pawn back but the clock did for him in the end. Meanwhile Andrew, in yet another tough and complicated struggle with Igor, hung in there for a draw against a much higher rated opponent. I tried for a swindle that was never quite there before being the last to lose.

So just half a point for our troubles. Clifton were simply too good for us on the night but we gave them a run for their money on all boards and this kind of performance should soon start to reap better rewards.