Wolverhampton went into this match knowing that it was potentially a crunch relegation decider. Already missing our regular Board 1, our chances were dealt a big blow by the last minute news that our replacement Board 1 was unavailable due to a family matter. However, last minute replacement Jonathan Hunt stepped in and won quickly on Board 6 to get the home team off to a flying start. Peter Pearson-Jones secured a steady draw and Gordon Sands went one and then two pieces up, raising hopes of a positive result. However, Phil Porter lost a piece and Dave Wightman came under sustained pressure. Gordon Sands closed out the win, but Phil Porter was unable to recover the material disadvantage. With the time control passed, Dave Wightman finally succumbed to a powerful mating attack after his king had been exposed by a pawn advance, leaving the match poised at 2.5 - 2.5. Frank Wood defended staunchly in a level position with blockaded pawns, as his opponent pressed for a match-clinching win, but finally lost a crucial pawn and thereby the match at the very end. So, a disappointing result in a match that Wolverhampton needed to win in order to ensure survival and the spectre of relegation looms ever larger heading into the Christmas break. Special thanks to Jonathan Hunt for a fine win and for stepping in at very short notice. Also, our thoughts go out to Rob Marshall, who was unable to play through no fault of his own. Thanks also to St. George's, for a tightly contested match that was resolved by the narrowest possible margin, and good luck for the rest of the season.