15 December 2021
The Arjay Trophy is a knockout competition for teams of 3 from Leeds clubs. The Preliminary Round is the means by which the number of teams is reduced to a number that fits knockout arithmetic: such as 32, 16, 8 or 4. Limewood has entered 2 teams.
This year there are 18 teams. So the preliminary round will presumably eliminate 2 of them to give a field of 16. Teams eliminated in the first round or the preliminary round are able to compete in a secondary knockout competition, the Arjay Plate. The Preliminary Round was played tonight.
Limewood 1 will have clinched their place in the First Round proper with a clear win over Alwoodley 2 by 2½ to ½. Paul May beat John Hipshon on Board 1. At Board 3 Duncan Stables beat Alwoodley’s rising-star junior, Angelica Rowe – an excellent result. The remaining half-point came from Howard Brears who drew against Pete Brennan at Board 2.
The outcome for Limewood 2 is not so clear-cut. The team was heavily out-rated and the only score came from Rodney Mitchinson’s draw at Board 3. Whether the team survive the cull seems to depend on how other losing teams fared – we wait and see. If eliminated, Limewood 2 still have the Arjay Plate to look forward to.
This was the last match before Xmas. League matches resume on 12 January (Covid permitting) when the A Team is at home to title-chasing Rose Forgrove A, the B Team is away to Forgrove’s C team and Limewood C entertains Alwoodley B.
Season’s greetings and good wishes to everyone!
