The 2024/2025 season came to a conclusion last week, with Ashby 1, 2 and 4 all playing their final matches.
Ashby 1 signed off from a great season as Division 2 Champions by a margin of 6 points and look forward to pitting themselves against the best in Division 1 next season. Despite the absence of Gheorge Albu and Paul Gibson, they were still too strong for Market Harborough 2 and came away with all the points in a 3-2 win. Richard Vann was up against Ashby Old Boy Andrew Faulds on board 2 and scored an excellent win, which you can view here.
Ashby 2 were beaten by 3.5 - 1.5 at Melton Mowbray 2 and are now consigned to relegation to Division 3, where they will find themselves up against Ashby 3 next season. Steve has been nominated for the Twat Of The Year award for his game. He went into an endgame with a Queen and 4 pawns against a single pawn, got over excited, moved too quickly and kindly donated his an opponent a stalemate !!!
Ashby 4 rounded off their season with a 2.5 - 1.5 win against Wigston 6. With Mick Brown disgracing himself again on board 3, it was left to wins for Dom Lennon and Ric Dawson on boards 1 and 4, backed up by a draw on board 2 from Ian Maskery, to bring home the bacon.
Elsewhere, Damian Oldham beat Colin Marley in the U1450 Championship.
We now look forward to the Harrods Cup this weekm with Tom Gerrard's Ashby team away against Heathcote Arms.