Hendersons crash to Division 2 highflyers by Chestnut69

The Hendersons bubble was burst by Bangor Wannabees at a cold Groomsport church Hall on Thursday. Some were saying that the heating which wasn't working had been nobbled to spook the travelling team from the West, but the Hendersons were comfortably beaten by the Seasiders 4.5-0.5. Things didn't start well for the Hendos, as at 8pm it appeared that a communication breakdown of an Anglo Polish nature had led to the non appearance of board 1 player Richard Kaczorowski. The Hendersons had to "play up" a man short for the third time this season, although at one point Henry was Horse was contemplating taking on Bangor's board 5 Brian Belshaw, but after a couple of sips of Philip's many cups of coffee he reverted to his customary position perched at boardside beside his owner.

As to the games themselves, although playing up, all four were particularly close affairs, all going the distance. Sean Linton on board 1 was first to fall to Paul McGuigan. Cathal Murphy's game against Paul McLoughlin started e4 d5, black against lower rated opposition, obviously envisaging "centre counter carnage". This didn't happen as despite the numerous early pins Paul deployed, Cathal was able to hold his own, only sitting a pawn down for most of the middle game and actually had Paul under pressure, threatening mate on move 29. As you'll see from the endgame with opposite coloured bishops a draw was a real possibility. Perhaps Cathal shouldn't have traded rooks on move 37 and on move 48 should have concentrated his king on addressing Paul's passed c pawn and ignoring his releatively safe king side pawns to secure the draw. Cathal resigned around move 56, but any "good" players out there are invited to add any analytical comments to the blog as they play through the game.

Pearse O Brien's game against similarly stronger opposition went the same way, when a draw looked likely only to be narrowly lost in the endgame. The final excitement came on board 4 when Phil "Mlegsci" Morrison, apparently 2 moves from mate inexplicably offered a draw. His opponent Ron Henderson gladly accepted, but Philip however with only seconds left may have made the right callas his deserved half point did save the Hendersons from the whitewash. Ron was light heartedly referred to by Brian Belshaw at the end of the contest as "the original Henderson".