Suffolk Under 160s fall at the quarter-final hurdle

Suffolk’s Under 160 team travelled to the outskirts of Nottingham today to play Lancashire in the National Quarter-Finals, but failed to repeat the First Team’s victory yesterday, losing narrowly by nine points to seven.

The result was close throughout; at one stage it stood at 5½ points each.   With just two boards remaining and the score 7½-6½ to Lancashire, Suffolk needed to win both to go through to the semis.   This was because an 8 – 8 tie would have been insufficient, with Suffolk losing on board count.   However we only achieved half a point from these two games.

The Suffolk team was outgraded by an average of seven points per board, but surprisingly it was on the lower boards, where the grading differences were greater, that Suffolk fared well.   Bury juniors Adam John (Board 13) and Jaden Jermy (14) both won, as did Keith Woodcock on 12 (this was Keith’s fifth successive win this season for the u160s).   Other Suffolk winners were Ed Kirkham (6) and Bob Stephens (7).