Keith Jones’ AGM report on the London League team’s season began
“A somewhat disappointing season, which still has a chance of becoming a very disappointing season.”
At that time, our London League team in Division 2 was sitting in 8th position of 11 teams, having finished its programme level on Match Points with Battersea 2 and ahead of them by just 2½ Game Points, but Battersea had the head-to-head advantage and had a match in hand. The only remaining fixtures for the season involved the bottom two teams, Greater London 1 and Cavendish 2; if each were to win their last fixture and if Cavendish 2 were to beat Battersea 2 by less than 5½-2½, we would be relegated. The one thing in our favour was that, if Cavendish 2 were to beat Battersea by 6-2 or better, we would stay up at Battersea’s expense; we could reasonably expect, therefore, that Battersea would do their best to ensure their D2 survival.
Of the last two fixtures, Greater London 1 v Dulwich 1, was played first, on Tuesday 10 June while our AGM was in progress, and was won by Dulwich 1 by 4½-3½. Phew!
The last fixture in the Division 2 season was played two days later, Thursday, 12 June. We already knew that Cavendish 2 were weakened by players having been barred by appearances for Cavendish 1, and were without former ECA President, Gary Kenworthy. Battersea 2 won by 5½-2½. Yes!!
So we escaped the drop and what was indeed a “disappointing” season suddenly became a “good” season! We had to fight hard in a strong division headed by no fewer than three college teams, one of which we managed to beat – Kings College London 1 – by 6-2, which we were aware at the time was a highly critical result.
Congratulations to skipper Keith for his stewardship in a very tough season, ultimately rewarded by retaining our Division 2 status for next season and to the squad who gave Keith sterling support and never gave up.
In the London League, two-up-two-down applies. So we lose University College and Imperial College, promoted to Division 1, Greater London 1 and Cavendish 2, relegated to Division 3, while gaining East Ham 1 and Kings Head 1 down from Division 1 and Hammersmith 2 and Lewisham 2 up from Division 3. All subject to no withdrawals which will alter the picture.
Links: LL team page | LL Division 2 table