There was a sensational end to the division one title race when York RI Cavaliers 'A' lost their last game to give the crown to the University.

With three games to go Cavaliers 'A' needed just two draws to clinch the title. This should have been easy as they had not lost all season and the three games were against mid-table opposition.

They drew the first against Shepherds, then lost to Minster Inn but had a third chance to secure the title in the return against Shepherds.

Cavaliers 'A' strengthened their team by bringing in International Master Richard

Palliser and Stefan Schmitz on boards one and two.

Unfortunately it meant dropping two regular players

who had both had exceptional seasons.

Shepherds meanwhile were without two strong regular players and the outcome seemed a formality.

Richard Palliser duly dispatched Barry Marshall with little problem on board one but Can Filiz beat Stefan

Schmitz on board two for Shepherds and Shepherds'

captain Herbert Lockwood his Cavalier 'A' counterpart Richard Hardy on board six.

Thus with three games remaining Cavaliers 'A' needed two points for the title and were well placed in all three games.

Shepherd's Andy Tyrell then escaped with a draw against Jim Shemilt from an inferior position, meaning Cavaliers 'A' now needed 1 points from the last two games.

Shepherd's Richard Larkin, who had turned down an offer of a draw earlier, beat Paul Hopwood to give Shepherd's the match and University the title.

The last game saw Cavaliers 'A's Steve Huxley beating Keith Goodey to make the result 3-2 to Shepherds.

Below is the crucial win from Can Filiz on board two. Schmitz, S - Filiz, C

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bg4 4. c4 e6 5. Qb3 Bxf3 6. Qxb7 Nbd7 7. exf3 Rb8 8. Qxa7 Rxb2 9. c5 e5 10. Bc1 Rb4 11. Ba3 Rxd3 12. Bb5 Be7 13. 0-0 0-0 14. Bxd7 Nxd7 15. Nc3 Rd3 16. Rfd1 e4 17. fxe4 Bf6 18. Qa6 Rc3 0-1.

Updated: 11:41 Thursday, March 21, 2002