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Teams 2001-02 |
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| 2001-02 BCF County Championship Finals |
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County Teams in Double Success The County Open and U175 teams achieved an outstanding double success in winning their respective County Championships in 2001-02. In the Finals on Saturday, 6th July 2002 both teams took on SCCU opposition at Rushey Mead School, Leicester. The Open team met Kent - always a tough proposition - and emerged with a 9-7 victory. This was achieved with two games to spare, as it were, having reached 8 points with an assured win on board count, but with two games still in play, which were ultimately both drawn for a 9-7 victory. There was a scare to start with when a car carrying three of the Open team and one of the U175 team was reported to have broken down at Newport Pagnall. The players eventually arrived, by alternative transport, with half an hour on their clocks. Captain Roy Heppinstall said "this is the first time for 44 years that Essex have won this title over-the-board. We won it in 1958, and again in 1972 but that was by default, so this was the first time in 44 years that we have won it over-the-board". The U175 team encountered Sussex who, in recent years, have traditionally given us the sternest test of the SCCU sides. And nothing changed here, with ultimate victory being achieved via an 8-8 scoreline and a win on board count. Sussex drew first blood and, though we pulled this back later on, it was always the tightest of tight matches. We lost the top two boards which suggested we would need to win on points, but a clutch of wins in the upper order tipped the balance and when David Millward forced Steve Blewitt's resignation a win on board count was assured, unspoilt by a Sussex win in the last game to finish. Both the match captains, Roy Heppinstall and John Philpott, deserve the highest praise for fielding their two teams simultaneously at, or nearly at, full strength, though both will readily acknowledge the tremendous support they have received from the players. It should also be acknolwedged that this has been true for all the County's teams whether it be those that did not reach the BCF stages, or the U150 team that lost in the semi-final. The top two teams have won the accolades but this is underpinned by the hard work done by all the captains and players of the lower teams and all can take pride in these successes. |
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Essex Chess Association |
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