Stirling Bruce vs Dunfermline Minnows 9/2/15

Stirling Bruce beat Dunfermline Minnows tonight by 9½-6½, a margin

that fails to convey what a tight match it was. The first three cycles

all ended 2-2, and an 8-8 result looked distinctly possible before

Bruce unexpectedly galloped away on the final lap, with wins for John

and Paul securing at least a drawn match before Graham beat Ian to

clinch it. This was a very rare defeat for Ian against any Stirling

team (in fact I can't recall offhand when this last happened).

 

It was a fine match between two strong allegro teams. The result

throws the league wide open, with several teams now being in

contention. Minnows have played four and won three, Bruce have played

three and won two, and Badgers have drawn the one match they've played thus far

(against Tigers). (I believe their match against Sharks, scheduled for tonight, was postponed).

Even Grangemouth Tigers and Stirling Wallace are just about in the

mix, and could certainly influence the overall result - it's all very

tight and unclear (and exciting).

 

Stirling Bruce vs Dunfermline Minnows, 9/2/15

 

Paul Prescott 1775  0-1  Ian Robertson 2187

John Blake 1691  0-1  Kelechi Ohiaeri 1874

Bill Cook 1666  1-0  George Webb 1535

Graham Anderson 1610  1-0  Andy Forbes 1581

2-2

 

Prescott 1-0 Forbes

Blake 0-1 Robertson

Cook 0-1 Ohiaeri

Anderson 1-0 Webb

2-2 / 4-4

 

Prescott 1-0 Webb

Blake 1-0 Forbes

Cook 0-1 Robertson

Anderson 0-1 Ohiaeri

2-2 / 6-6

 

Prescott 1-0 Ohiaeri

Blake 1-0 Webb

Cook ½-½ Forbes

Anderson 1-0 Robertson

3½-½ / 9½-6½

 

Individual scores

Bruce: PP 3, GA 3, JB 2, BC 1½

Minnows: IR 3, KO 3, AF ½, GW 0

 

Bruce (for whom Dave Hewitt was non-playing captain and reserve) won

the toss and had white in rounds 1 and 3.