Ealing C played against Hatch End A at Actonians on 24^th January 2022. Again, as David Housego was not able to play in this match, the team was captained by Neville Rowden. Although Ealing C was rated 1188 less in total, the team was beaten 1½-2½ in the match.

Ealing C played Black on Board 1 with the results being:

Ealing C	Rating	Result	Hatch End A	Rating
Tony Braine	1559	½-½	Bill Philips	1845
Geoff Richards	1401	0-1	Greg Breed	1822
Neville Rowden	1265	0-1	Ian Cross	1727
Andy Glass	1180	1-0	Brendan Barry	1199

These are the match reports:

• Tony Braine: Tony employed a Stonewall Defence against d4, obtaining a comfortable position. He attacked with an early Qh4 which was probably unjustifiably aggressive, but it did put White on the defensive making him run his clock down as he countered the threats. White neutralised the attack though and eventually the game descended into a dead drawn endgame.
• Geoff Richards: I played the London opening to which my opponent replied 3……c5. The game proceeded quietly enough until the middle game when an inaccurate 14^th move cost me a pawn and left me with a slightly weaker position. However, ten moves later my opponent reciprocated with a tactical oversight of his own, allowing me to recapture the pawn with an even game. Given that my opponent was rated some 400 points higher than me, I was feeling quite pleased with myself, but the position had come at the expense of a considerable use of time. I found myself having to move faster and faster and the inevitable blunder on my part cost me a rook and the game.
• Neville Rowden: Black was heavily outgunned by White and was on the back foot for well into the middle game by having to defend. White did achieve a mini breakthrough in the middle of the game but to no avail. Very few mistakes were made by either side but Black did eventually make a blunder and Black resigned
• Andy Glass: As White, I played the English and Black went for a reversed Sicilian set-up (1.c4 e4 2.Nc3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Be6 5.Nf3 Bc5?? 6.Nxe5). Down a pawn, Black continued to push, and by move 19 when Black resigned, White was up two pieces, two pawns and was above to win a rook as well with Black’s king exposed.