I was promoted to the first team just for round 9, as part of Sean’s policy of playing all 2100+ players in the squad in the top division at least once during the season. The team was soundly beaten 6-2 by a strong Cheddleton 1 team. However, four of the team did achieve draws: Alexei Slavin against Danny Gormally, Ameet Ghasi against Elisabeth Paehtz, Alan Byron against Robert Bellin, and I against Paul Wallace. The match was most memorable for a member of the opposition, Jonathan Hawkins, who achieved a GM Norm by crushing Andy Talbot.
My game against Paul Wallace is given below. We had played the previous year, in the equivalent match between the sides in division 2. There I had built up a promising position, before losing my way badly. Here I was pressing throughout, but unwisely forced the position, before wisely option to force a repetition to seal the draw.