Essex League Win!

Ilford 1 …. 5-3 ….. Upminster 2
Essex Div 2, 4 March 2019
Report by Jef Page

Grade	Ilford 1	Score	Upminster 2	Grade
166	Tom BARTON	½ – ½	Les CRANE	157
168	Neville TWITCHELL	0 – 1	Steve KELSEY	174
166	Hassan MUGALU	½ – ½	Aidan CORISH	151
153	Anthony KENT	½ – ½	Robert IANNETTA	156
137	Jason KLIMACH	1 – 0	Steve ABBOTT	141
138	Syd KALINSKY	1 – 0	Mustapha RAHAMAN	140
132	Jef PAGE	1 – 0	Peter BIGGS	124
96	Marshall TUTU	½ – ½	Nick PELLING	120

A good win for Ilford which lifts us off the bottom of Essex division 2 and up the table (for the moment). This was a rare win in the old Ilford style: holding the top boards but scoring 3½ out of 4 on the lower ones. From not being sure if I had a full team on Sunday to even having a reserve available on Monday.

Upminster’s top board Les Crane plays for Ilford in the London League (LL). Tom was put under pressure by his Schliemann defence but played nicely to win R for B but well down on the clock he was content enough to take a draw. Similarly on board 3 Aidan also plays for us in the LL and he calmly held his game together against Hassan. Iannetta forced Tony Kent to defend with his pieces unable to break-out and advance, but Robert was unable to break in as Tony defended accurately.

Marshall arrived late giving away 30 minutes on this clock but easily held old member Nick Pelling. Biggs’s opening was poor and I should have won a piece with all my bits developed nicely. But I allowed him to wriggle on and as the board cleared I made no mistake a 2^nd time and won a Bishop. Kalinsky always had the better development against Rahaman and similarly Jason won well, but on board 2 Neville can’t buy a win at the moment with Steve Kelsey mopping up the ending with Rook and winning pawns versus Knight plus pawns.

Ilford next face division 2 leaders Brentwood on March 25^th.

Current league positions: Brentwood, Upminster II, Ilford, Loughton, Barking II, Wanstead III.