Div 3 North 2016-17

[MartinCarpenter]

Its definitely been quite a journey from a few years back when I & no doubt many others were wondering if the teams you were fielding were really the best the Manchester league (+ Lancashire of course) could do.

The MM2 team this weekend would beat quite a few of the historical MM1 ones....

Nice downfloat for Jorvik If we can win today - looking at the teams it'll probably be quite tight - and the top 2 go as expected then we'll be close to having locked down fourth, which definitely wasn't expected pre season!

[MartinCarpenter]

If I understand what Alex has said, Gonzaga need to score 1.5/3 against Enniscorthy tomorrow and 2.5/3 against 3Cs2.

Realistically this will only be possible if they have a stronger substitute available and are allowed to bring him/her in.

Does anyone know if they do have such a sub?

You're right as to what is needed. As for subs, obviously no idea yet It is definitely permitted though - Jorvik have switched our team/players around 'mid triangle' before now.

Effectively they're treated as two entirely distinct matches, just intermingled in terms of when they're played.

If 3C's 2 keep the same - very strong! - team as yesterday then they'd be doing well to get 2.5/3. They do also need an assist from someone vs Manx. Manchester 2 could do it in principle, not sure who Manx are likely to get in the last round.

I guess that if Manx get caught up in the seemingly planned half triangle then they could get *really* messed up! Presume Alex & co will avoid doing that.

[Alex McFarlane]

Presume Alex & co will avoid doing that.

We certainly hope to avoid it.

Round 10 draw was (re)done to avoid that scenario.

[Tim Harding]

Gonzaga have Gordon Freeman today, one of their regular team, so they have a chance of getting the result they require against 3Cs2.

[David Robertson]

Gonzaga have Gordon Freeman today, one of their regular team, so they have a chance of getting the result they require against 3Cs2.

How did that work out?

[MartinCarpenter]

Rather badly! 1/2 - 2 1/2 to 3C's 2 on the remainder. To be fair both Phil Adams and Andy Reeve are much harder players to beat than their far from shabby basic grades suggest. 3C's 2 are simply very strong this weekend.

For a bit it liked Manx might not win (or even lose) vs MM2 - even on board 1! - but they got their result in the end. So them and MM1 up. It'll be rather interesting to see what Manx do over the next few years. There's enough firepower on their registration list to bother even Guildford 1.

Manchester will I think be mid table Div2, so goodness knows where they'll finish.

Gonzaga very likely to get promotion next season if they keep at it I think. Bradford 1 really aren't looking that good in Div2 right now and there aren't any other truly strong teams in the division right now. But maybe we'll continue the theme of adding a few.

[David Robertson]

MM1 will settle into Div 2 OK, though it is a step up in class and prep. There's also a sizeable difference between 8 boards and six - without the 'luxury' of an 'all-bloke' team either. Quite what Manx Liberty are about is anyone's guess - today's top board pairing, with a near 700 pt Elo gap, must have set a new record. With their squad as listed, Div 2 will be a stroll. But since they are really SC Triers on tour, Bundesliga fixtures will have a role to play. All very odd. Gonzaga? They're clearly of Div 2 standard. But they'd find it tough there. A year's further experience will do them good.

Rd 11 fizzled out though - the top pairings offered no sport

[Mick Norris]

P W D L GP Pts
Manchester Manticores 1 11 11 0 0 48½ 22
Manx Liberty 11 9 1 1 45 19
Gonzaga 11 8 0 3 47½ 16
3Cs 2 11 5 3 3 36½ 13
Cheddleton 2 11 6 1 4 35½ 13
Jorvik 11 5 3 3 32½ 13
Ashfield Breadsall 1 11 5 2 4 34½ 12
Bradford DCA Knights B 11 5 1 5 34½ 11
Manchester Manticores 2 11 5 0 6 30 10
Ashfield Breadsall 2 11 4 2 5 29 10
Hounds and Bears 8 4 1 3 27 9
Spirit of Atticus B 11 3 2 6 28 8
Enniscorthy 11 3 2 6 23½ 8
Holmes Chapel 11 3 1 7 29 7
Manchester Manticores 4 11 2 3 6 26 7
Manchester Manticores 3 11 1½ 3 6½ 26½ 6
Bradford DCA Knights C 11 2 2 7 25 6
3Cs 3 9 1 1 7 14½ 3

I think I'm right that this is the first time a team has scored 11/11 in Div 3N

Today's results may have reflected last night's celebrations

[David Robertson]

I think I'm right that this is the first time a team has scored 11/11 in Div 3N

Yes. But it used to be harder because you'd have to play the top 3S teams too. So Rd 11 was never a 'gimme' like it was today. Credit, all the same

[MartinCarpenter]

Manchester have the depth for Div 2 if they don't lose players - basically all of MM2 is good enough for the lower boards there. The female/junior board will definitely need patching though.

[Mick Norris]

Our 4th highest graded player is a junior, so if he's playing we won't have a problem

We also have 2 female juniors in the squad, plus another joining next season

[LawrenceCooper]

MM1 will settle into Div 2 OK, though it is a step up in class and prep.

The Division Three South MM1 also managed to win all eleven matches but couldn't quite compete with the northern's record of 48.5 game points, having to make do with 47.

[Mick Norris]

MM1 will settle into Div 2 OK, though it is a step up in class and prep.

The Division Three South MM1 also managed to win all eleven matches but couldn't quite compete with the northern's record of 48.5 game points, having to make do with 47.

Ok, so we could have MM1 v MM1 next season then

[Neil Graham]

The top three teams were head and shoulders above the remainder. 3C's 3 who missed two rounds were marooned at the foot of the League but still scored some points. There was absolutely nothing to choose between the remaining 14 teams who could have finished in any order. The withdrawal of Hounds & Bears for the last three rounds, discussed previously, was, to say the least, unfortunate. The arbiting team of Lara Barnes and Alex McFarlane commented before the last round what a trouble-free competition it had been. This was in no small measure due to their skill in running the League and actually finding pairings that worked in the latter stages. We look forward to meeting friends old and new in 2017-18.

[Mick Norris]

We look forward to meeting friends old and new in 2017-18.

Indeed; I wonder if the move from Wakefield to Doncaster will change any team's decisions about north v south; probably not

Doncaster does have an airport with flights to and from Dublin though