FOLLOW THE LADS

WOODBRIDGE ON TOUR – Day 1   (aka Upstead Dons)

Friday 2nd September 2011
Five members of the Woodbridge touring party, Charlie Harding, Mustapha Rahman  and Bryan Gaze (also of Upminster) with Richard Manning and Michael Bird (formerly also of Wanstead) met on Platform 8 at Paddington Station at 11:15 along with their adopted touring lad, Roving Reporter 2 from Wanstead.
Charlie and I declined the invitation to join the reprobates in coach D; fortuitously so judging from the complaints of fellow passengers.  Following a raid on the buffet car bar an attempt by Bryan and Mustapha to gain a further discount amused the Train Manager, who thought £12 for the trip was plenty cheap enough.
Arriving on time at Bridgend Station shortly before 2:30 pm we met up with the Don, Paul Kendall, who had arrived from Birmingham on the Flier a few minutes before, to take charge of the lad and his Mister Men.  Negotiations with Mr Trickey of Bridgend CC were apparently still ongoing.
Despite Richard’s protests for the magnificent seven to ride out of town, Paul directed everyone down to the bus station.  No longer magnificent, the Mister Men were mistaken for a touring bowls side despite their freedom passes being rejected as they hijacked the No 36 bus to Cwydda.  A lot of water has passed under Woodbridge since they last toured Wales twenty years ago and were then mistaken for a touring rugby club.
With still no news from our hosts, having dropped off our bags we headed off in the blazing sunshine in search of the local ale house, Ty Risha, a signpost for which had been spotted by the lad as the bus passed the Red Dragon and climbed out of town.   The Mister Men decided to find a short cut through the Designer Village adjacent to our hotel.  Local directions proved to be misleading as there was no back way out of the rear car park, though Mustapha seemed keen to borrow under the fence.
Having passed through and round the Designer Village we eventually found the right road to the common and descended the hill.  Ty Risha did not disappoint.  A stone country pub surrounded by gardens with plenty of Brains on draught.  The barmaids were welcoming and laid down a challenge to drink 9 pints and get one free.  Never ones not to pick up the gauntlet, the stage was set for a long afternoon.  20 pints of Brains (bitter and SA) later Reverend James was not called for it, despite Mustapha’s taking to the fizzy stuff.
Mr Trickey did eventually call to rendezvous at the Red Dragon for more Brains and dinner.  This time there were no diversions although Mustapha was rather keen to take the path across the common which was rumoured to exist.  Not trusting local directions we climbed back of the hill.
Andrew Trickey and David Robinson (another Yorkshire expat) from Bridgend CC were waiting for us at the Red Dragon.  To our surprise the locals were immersed in English football rather than Welsh.  A good evening was had by all including a hand or too of Bridge and the football went our way too.

WOODBRIDGE ON TOUR – Day 2  
Saturday 3rd September 2011
Richard hosted a breakfast party in the adjoining Derwen Harvester before Paul lead the party on another hiking expedition in search of Coity, its castle and the village hall for the Bridgend Rapidplay.  On reaching the post office the group divided, Charlie, Richard and Michael were convinced that the venue was next to the Six Bells which Charlie had spotted in the distance, under the shadow of the castle’s ruins.  Mark, Paul, Mustapha and Bryan however found the Galiead Chapel behind the post office and behind that the hall.
The Chapel bill board seemed to have the touring party in mind: “You are not too bad to come in.  You are not too good to stay out”.
BRIDGEND RAPIDPLAY –– Coity
Unusually for a Woodbridge tour a full day’s play has been arranged with invitations dispatched to all and sundry.  18 players contested the Rapid Play.

Round 1 – all moves in 25 minutes

1	Mustapha Rahman	1818	0-1	Ashkan Sarmardi - Bridgend	2090
2	David Robinson - Bridgend	2032	1-0	Michael Bird	1770
3	Kristian Prosser - Cardiff	1649	0-1	Gareth Harley-Yeo - Cardiff	2028
4	Paul Kendall	2026	1-0	Nicholas Evans - Upperkillay	1580
5	Bryan Gaze	1570	0-1	Mark Murrell	1994
6	Bill Hewitt - White Knights	1993	1-0	Albert Easton – Swansea Valley	1558
7	Ken Wardle – Bridgend	1540	0-1	Charlie Harding	1992
8	Richard Manning	1842	1-0	Nathan Trickey - Bridgend	1400
9	James Evans - Upperkilla	1162	0-1	Robert Dineen – North Cardiff	1821

 

Wins for Paul, Mark, Charlie and Richard but only three against Welsh opponents.

Round 2

1 Ashkan Sarmardi 2090 0-1 Bill Hewitt 1993 2 Charlie Harding 1922 1-0 David Robinson 2032 3 Gareth Harley-Yeo 2028 1-0 Richard Manning     1842 4 Robert Dineen 1821 ½-½ Paul Kendall 2026 5 Mark Murrell  1994 1-0 Mustapha Rahman 1818 6 Michael Bird 1770 0-1 Kristian Prosser     1649 7 Nicholas Evans 1580 1-0 Bryan Gaze 1570 8 Albert Easton      1558 0-1 Ken Wardle 1540 9 Nathan Trickey   1400 0-1 James Evans 1162

Wins for Charlie, Mark and a draw for Paul.

Round 3

1	Bill Hewitt	1993	½-½	Gareth Harley-Yeo	2028
2	Charlie Harding	1922	½-½	Mark Murrell	1994
3	Paul Kendall	2026	0-1	Ashkan Sarmardi	2090
4	David Robinson	2032	1-0	Robert Dineen	1821
5	Richard Manning	1842	½-½	Nicholas Evans	1580
6	Kristian Prosser	1649	0-1	James Evans	1162
7	Ken Wardle	1540	0-1	Michael Bird	1770
8	Mustapha Rahman	1818	1-0	Albert Easton	1558
9	Bryan Gaze	1570	0-1	Nathan Trickey	1400

Mustapha gets off the mark, a win for Michael with an early draw with Charlie and Mark.
Paul has just returned from the castle, the Six of the best got no further than the Six Bells.
Charlie and Mark joint leaders going into lunch, but would it last……..

Round 4

1	Gareth Harley-Yeo	2028	1-0	Charlie Harding	1922
2	Mark Murrell	1994	0-1	Bill Hewitt	1993
3	Ashkan Sarmardi	2090	1-0	David Robinson	2032
4	James Evans	1162	0-1	Paul Kendall	2026
5	Robert Dineen	1821	1-0	Richard Manning	1842
6	Nicholas Evans	1580	1-0	Kristian Prosser	1649
7	Michael Bird	1770	½-½	Mustapha Rahman	1818
8	Nathan Trickey	1400	0-1	Ken Wardle	1540
9	Albert Easton	1558	0-1	Bryan Gaze	1570

It did not last.  Wins for Paul and Bryan, now off the mark.  Mickey and Mustapha drew.
Round 5

1	Ashkan Sarmardi	2090	1-0	Gareth Harley-Yeo	2028
2	Bill Hewitt	1993	1-0	Robert Dineen	1821
3	Paul Kendall	2026	½-½	Mark Murrell	1994
4	Charlie Harding	1922	½-½	Nicholas Evans	1580
5	James Evans	1162	0-1	David Robinson	2032
6	Ken Wardle	1540	1-0	Mustapha Rahman	1818
7	Richard Manning	1842	½-½	Michael Bird	1770
8	Nathan Trickey	1400	0-1	Albert Easton	1558
9	Bryan Gaze	1570	½-½	Kristian Prosser	1649

With the Six Bells taking its toll, draws for everyone in round 5 apart from a titanic struggle from Mustapha only to lose on time.
Round 6

1	David Robinson	2032	0-1	Bill Hewitt	1993
2	Mark Murrell	1994	0-1	Ashkan Sarmardi	2090
3	Gareth Harley-Yeo	2028	0-1	Paul Kendall	2026
4	Nicholas Evans	1580	1-0	Ken Wardle	1540
5	Robert Dineen	1821	0-1	Charlie Harding	1922
6	Michael Bird	1770	½-½	James Evans	1162
7	Bryan Gaze	1570	1-0	Richard Manning	1842
8	Mustapha Rahman	1818	1-0	Nathan Trickey	1400
9	Kristian Prosser	1649	½-½	Albert Easton	1558

 

Wins for Paul, Charlie, Bryan and Mustapha.  Mark running out of time blundered his newly promoted queen having let go a winning position.   A draw for Mickey, with Richard falling victim to Bryan.
Paul and Charlie finished in style with 4 out of 6, Mark (who scored all his points against Woodbridgers in 4 of the 6 rounds) on 50%, Bryan and Mustapha on 2 ½ with Richard on 2.
Well done to Bill Hewitt on 5 ½ a deserved champion, undefeated on the day.
As the heavens opened the evening entertainment centered on  Aberkenfig, a village to the North of our hotel.  The Golden Lion proved to be somewhat lively but lacking in beer.  Normal service was resumed in the Colliers Arms when Legends was the preferred choice of Brains.  Keith Jones coached in a party of revellers as we headed for the New Garden, a massive Chinese restaurant.  It seems we had hit upon the Saturday Night social heartland, just as the kitty was running out.
WOODBRIDGE ON TOUR – Day 3  
Sunday 4th September 2011
An overnight count up revealed that in the head to head games between Bridgend and Woodbridge in yesterday’s rapid play Bridgend shaded it by 6 games to 5.
Mustapha hosted breakfast before our carriages arrived for the big match.  A team revolt meant no walking today and the absence of sweat if not blood and tears was no doubt appreciated by our opponents. 

Bridgend v Woodbridge  - Coity Double header
Team Captain Richard presented an engraved commemorative wooden set to Bridgend, which was christened on board one in the following standard play challenge match.
Round 1
Woodbridge won the toss and had white on odds in round 1.  35 moves in 75 mins and 15 mins QPF.

	BRIDGEND			WOODBRIDGE		Time	Moves
1	David Robinson (B)	2032	½-½	Paul Kendall	2026	2:31	34
2	Mike Cram	1719	½-½	Mark Murrell	1994	1:56	39
3	Damon Davies (capt)	1637	0-1	Charlie Harding	1922	1:02	32
4	Nicholas Evans	1580	½-½	Richard Manning	1842	2:41	60+
5	Andrew Trickey	1482	0-1	Mustapha Rahman	1818	1:57	43
6	Nathan Trickey	1400	½-½	Michael Bird	1770	0:56	22
7	Lauren Davies	1345	½-½	Bryan Gaze (1570)	1570	0:44	48
			2½-4½

A whirlwind 48 move thriller set the tone but fizzled out to a draw with Bryan’s opponent’s clock still showing 75 minutes to go. 
The clash of the Yorkshiremen ringers on board 1 almost went the distance but still ended up drawn.
Woodbridge with a clean sheet took a two point advantage into round 2. 

Round 2
Colours reversed (well almost) in round 2, with Bridgend having the 4 whites.
All moves in 75 minutes.

	BRIDGEND			WOODBRIDGE
1	Ashkan Samadi	2090	1-0	Mark Murrell	1994
2	David Robinson (W)	2032	0-1	Charlie Harding	1922
3	Damon Davies (capt)	1637	½-½	Paul Kendall	2026
4	Mike Cram	1719	½-½	Mustapha Rahman	1818
5	Andrew Trickey	1482	½-½	Richard Manning	1842
6	Nicholas Evans	1580	½-½	Michael Bird	1770
7	Lauren Davies	1345	1-0	Bryan Gaze (1570)	1570
			4-3

75 minutes proved to be too generous for all moves with all games finished within 1½ hours.  This time it was Captain Richard who finished before the yard arm, having missed out on a full session in the Six Bells at lunch time.   The lunch break did not suit Mark or Bryan and not for the first time this weekend it was left to Charlie Harding to save the day.  Bridgend won the second round but Woodbridge reversed Saturday’s score with a point advantage for the day.
Charlie Harding was man of the tour with 2/2 standard play and 4/6 rapidplay.
Our thanks to Bridgend for making us all feel welcome and making it a great tour.  Particular thanks to Andrew Trickey for the organisation and to Andrew and David for their hospitality and chauffeuring.  Captain Richard was presented with a grand malt and just enough cups for the journey home!!
The balloon joke was left for the finale to finish off festivities in the Six Bells.
It was just left the lad putting the Mister Men onto their early train.  Mr Jovial, Mr blind half, Mr Easy, Mr puzzled, Mr Contraire and Mr Champion.  Those who went know who they are and no doubt many of you out there know too!!
Mark Murrell
Honorary Lad
September 2011