We travelled to the University on Thursday more in hope of finding a car parking space (difficult) than of pulling off a victory (VERY difficult), and that's how it turned out.

Not that we went there with a defeatist attitude, but with the realisation that coming up against an opposing team whose grades were between 195 and 166, and with our regular boards 2 and 3 both absent, we faced a difficult challenge.

Each of us went into our games with the intention of denting their grades and pulling off a shock, but their higher skill (yes, realistically, that's what it was) came through and we were 4 - 0 down with time remaining, and only Aron and myself still in the battle.

I didn't see much of Aron's game I'm afraid, as I was somewhat busy on the next board, but from the comments of Dave Tipper he was bossing the game against his exalted opponent most of the time, and nearly pulled off a breathtaking win.

I have commented before about how impressive he is both on and off the chess board apart from his criminal tendencies, and along with many of our other juniors, is a shining example of Downend's policy and attitude to junior chess players.

This left one very definitely NOT junior still playing, who for a change was playing 'Proper Chess' and like Aron held an edge right through the game and reached a comfortable and automatic drawn endgame position, only to revert to 'Duffer Chess' at the very last moment and fall into a mate in one!

My thanks, and those of the rest of the team, to Jack and Grant for standing in for our absentees.

It was a very long drive home.