Thanks to captain Nigel Gardner for the following report:
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
Was this written for, or by, the E team?
Way back in early January, Crewe’s title challenge for division 5 appeared to have hit the self destruct button thanks largely to a bad call by myself!!! Half the season had past and our title contenders were behind to Cheddleton H. By the 1st Feb all looked to be over bar the gradual slide to an inevitable second place.
However, “Nil desperandum” was the order of the day. Dig deep, give your best and what will be, will be. So it transpired.
The E team went on a fantastic run of games, winning all in the second half of the season.
This run transposed the pressure to Cheddleton H, who began to falter after a break in their fixtures; what had begun as a trickle in Crewe’s direction became a torrent when our F team upturned the odds to inflict the first defeat on Cheddleton at the end of March.
Having gained the ascendancy Crewe knew that one point from the four boards in the final match (against guess whom?), would be enough to secure the league.
Crewe’s team consisted of their 4 mainstays (although many have contributed throughout the season) Julian, Simon, Dave P & Lukasz.
Based on grading Crewe had a much stronger team but as has been proved this season on a number of occasions you still have to play and win the games. To the relief of all concerned after around an hour Lukasz on board 4 delivered a killing blow to win the game and thereby the division. Fitting that one of Crewe’s rising stars had the honour, particularly as it gives him the highest number of points won by anybody in Division 5!!!
This eased the pressure on the remaining three and despite some trauma along the way Simon and Dave both eventually delivered to seal a 3 -1 victory, and take the title in style.
A hard fought match at the end of a hard fought season left Crewe E retaining their title and looking forward to some more relaxing months ahead, at our secret, high-altitude, training camp in the Himalayas!
In the end we delivered on the mantra –
CARPE DIEM