31st October 2024
| Harrow B | Ealing B | ||||
| 1 | Darsh Santos Kumar | 1557 | 0-1 | Xavier Cowan | 1908 |
| 2 | Ashley R Anderson | 1086 | 0-1 | Simon Healeas | 1838 |
| 3 | Ken Goode | 0-1 | Jason Obihara | 1737 | |
| 4 | Chris Scott | 0-1 | Tony Braine | 1677 | |
| 5 | Siva Velayutham | 1481 | 0-1 | Alastair Johnstone | 1590 |
| 0-5 |
A night which started in chaos and confusion ultimately ended with a crunching win for Ealing. Our visit was not expected and for once, the massed throng of juniors habitually milling about at Harrow’s venue were not in evidence. Harrow captain Neville messaged 140 parents in a last gasp attempt to muster a team but with the competing attraction of Diwali, his efforts only gleaned one response. Rather than cancel the fixture however it was agreed that the rest of the team would be made up by four Harrow adults eligible to play. Play finally got under way at ten to eight to the accompaniment of a ceaseless fusillade of fireworks. Diwali is a serious event in Harrow!
it was in truth a scratch team with at least two of the line-up playing their first ever league match. The games that ensued were predictably one-sided although my own opponent, the father of the nine year old Bodhana, clearly had a good understanding of the game and at one stage had a chance to embarrass me before a fatal blunder that netted me his queen.
In the end it was a whitewash and an early finish for all concerned, but sterner challenges doubtless lie ahead.