Shrewsbury A’s hopes of a third-placed finish were boosted significantly with a win over Shifnal and Telford A; the team presently sitting third in the table.
With skipper Jamie Hopkins feeling unwell and Dan Lockett also unavailable, the B Team duo of Matt Best and Mark Smith were called into action to provide cover against an opposing side also short of key players.
It was however, an A Team regular who made the initial breakthrough. Peter Kitchen, playing his last game this season after having recently become a father, was facing the experienced Windsor Peck on board three. Peter came through the opening with a pretty strong position, won a bit of material and secured the victory in what he said afterwards was one of his best games of the season.
The lead was doubled shortly after. Matt Best was up against Tim Skidmore on board 5, and after having won a pawn in the opening, swapped off several pieces to reach a won endgame. A slight error made the ending slightly more tricky than necessary as he allowed Tim to queen a pawn as well, but Matt queened his pawn with the all-important check, and therefore was able to force the Queens off and have a completely won endgame. Tim resigned, taking Matt’s personal run to 6 straight victories in all competitions, as well as an unbeaten league run stretching back 8 games.
The points were made safe shortly after, when stand-in skipper Francis Best was held to a draw on top board by Dave Gostelow and David Everington and Richard Gillespie shared the spoils on board two in an entertaining tussle. The icing on the cake was then provided when Mark secured a draw with Stefan Tennant on four in yet another entertaining game.
The result keeps Shrewsbury A fourth in the table, level on points with their visitors but with an all-important game in hand.
Shrewsbury A 3.5-1.5 Shifnal and Telford A
- F. Best 0.5-0.5 D. Gostelow
- D. Everington 0.5-0.5 R. Gillespie
- P. Kitchen 1-0 W. Peck
- M. Smith 0.5-0.5 S. Tennant
- M. Best 1-0 T. Skidmore