We realized that Bath B wanted to cement their leadership of Division Three but we were still a little taken aback when they turned up with an average rating just shy of 1800. We'll take it as a compliment although, in all honesty, our results don't really warrant such an extreme strategy!

Anyway, facing a team including two members of their A team from just days before, we didn't really expect a lot out of this match. And it started off pretty much according to what the ratings would have predicted. First there was a clatter of pieces being taken off the board to my left and when I had time to look, Dave had shed a minor piece for a couple of pawns although he did have some attacking chances against the enemy King. Meanwhile Geoff had come unstuck too. Although Dave gamely struggled on, it wasn't long before we were 2-0 down.

But there were some glimmers of hope. At least nobody else was losing and, in fact, Alan had won a pawn out of the opening. I was holding OK up to move 13. James and John, with White on boards 4 and 6, were probing for an advantage.

Then I tried something a tad too adventurous when pure stodge was the order of the day. The result was the loss of the exchange and, although I tried to make it as hard as possible for White to convert his advantage, we were heading for three losses and the need for a minor miracle.

The first to oblige was James, who really played exceedingly well in the end to overcome a rating deficit of around 300. This was probably the most complex encounter of the match. James was aware that he was almost certainly losing in the middle game but carried on anyway and was relieved that it was his opponent who missed a key opportunity. But in this game you take your chances when you can!

Alan played an excellent positional middle game to build on his pawn advantage. He handled his two bishops and remaining rook patiently and a neat manoeuvre finally netted two more pawns to bring the deficit back to 3-2.

And so to the skipper. John was under attack but his position was holding together when Black sacrificed the exchange, hoping for more. There were possibly inaccuracies on both sides before the opportunity to force a perpetual was lost. John emerged with rook v bishop and Black had nothing left in his locker to hinder a comfortable mopping up. To quote John "My strongest scalp since lockdown."

So we had managed three excellent wins, all against much higher rated opponents, to clinch a drawn match. Well done to those heroes!