WELCOME It gives me great pleasure to welcome our visitors from Cleckheaton. In recent years we’ve seen quite a bit of one another, but I’ll bet not many of you will remember our first meeting – well, the first one I can find, anyway. It was a foul wet and windy afternoon in 1957, 52 years ago, when I think Mighty Mike Wrighty was captain! The game was a friendly (remember those?) at Cleckheaton and we won 10-3. Then there was a gap of 37 years before we met again, this time in the Yorkshire Cup, again at Cleckheaton, and again we won a tight game 15-6. Another 13 years passed without a fixture but in the past four years we’ve met seven times. Actually our first game of the 2007/08 season was a home North One league match against our visitors, and they beat us 15-18. The defeat must have spurred us on as we then beat Liverpool St Helens 54-7 and Darlington 60-12. However in a distinctly topsy-turvy start to that season on 13 October (bad omen!) we again played Cleckheaton in the County Cup, away, and lost 15-52. We did sort out our act and in the return league match in March we won 13-7. We then met twice in each of the following two seasons, when each team won their home league fixtures. (Incidentally the captain in 1957 wasn’t Mike; it was Keith Schellenberg.)

So far this season our visitors have won five games and lost six and are currently eighth in the league with 28 points (last season they finished an impressive third, behind West Hartlepool and Percy Park, winning 15 and drawing two of their 26 matches.) In this campaign they were unbeaten at home until last week, when, despite taking the lead against Percy Park, they lost 6-24. The week earlier they were embroiled in a real thriller at O Crossleyans, where they were ahead 26-23 at the break and won the game 41-34. In fact in six matches away from home that was their first win, having lost at Malton, Gateshead, Wheatley Hills, Billingham and Northern.

LEAGUE NEWS Against Malton & Norton we trailed 13-3 early in the game but roused ourselves to play some good rugby and score five tries, with winger Peter Whitaker grabbing two. The others came from Peter Wright, Richard Horton and Jack Aldus, with Jack Bircham adding two penalties and a conversion to make the final score 33-13. Malton played good rugby (it came as no surprise that they thrashed Team Northumbria last week) and when we trailed by 10 points the outcome looked ominous. I couldn’t see us scoring four tries for a bonus point, but oh ye of little faith! In the end we were good value for our victory. And then last week we came a cropper at Sheffield. Defensively they were good, but what stood out was their tactical kicking, which kept us pinned back. Having said that with 15 minutes to go the game was close; we were trailing 9-6 but they broke through tackles to touch down and add the conversion. Jack then scored his third penalty to make the final score 15-9 and at least earn us a losing bonus point.

OUR OTHER TEAMS Let me start with the ‘A’ team, who have made it an impressive six consecutive wins on Saturday, beating a spirited and experienced Sunderland team by 26-17. Jonno scored a magnificent try for the team; he was also one of several Dicks of the Day. Read his match report to find out why. Meanwhile the Lions, having enjoyed a comfortable 41-5 win against Horden two weeks ago went to Acklam last week and lost their first game since 17 September, a tremendous record for a team which won only three matches during the whole of last season.

I’m afraid the Colts are out of the Yorkshire Cup, beaten by an impressive West Park Leeds team who operate in the Yorkshire Premier League, one above us. On a gloriously sunny afternoon we took a seven points lead when Stefan Dezou scored in the corner with Charlie Bircham adding a fine conversion, but couldn’t manage to add to our account until near the end of the game with a second try, scored by James Downs. Unfortunately WPL totted up 43 points in between times. But wow! How we bounced back last week, scoring seven tries against top-of-the-table Moortown to beat them 35-0 and take their place at the head of the queue. Despite our young men being denied the opportunity of using their strength in the scrum, undoubtedly one of their strong points (they had to endure the farce of playing uncontested scrums) they played out of their socks to win comprehensively. Now hear this - four of their eight games have been played with such scrums – the word is obviously spreading. I ask again – how do inexperienced front row forwards get experience if they can’t play there because they are too inexperienced?! Terry Fitz’s match report is in this issue. On the subject of our youngsters last Sunday, let me congratulate the U14s who beat Ilkley 20-10 in the Yorkshire Cup to earn a quarter final match against Harrogate.

CLUB NEWS First of all can I thank all of you who helped to make our Bonfire Night another resounding success. The dozens and dozens of you are far too many to list individually, but I’d like to mention Richard Ward who co-ordinated affairs, the Ladies Committee for taking charge of the confectionary marquee, and the Brothers Horton, Chris and Benn, who spent the best part of two days sorting out electrics, lighting and the likes. Colin McNeill has again decided to donate his face to charity. During the whole of this month he will go unshaven to raise funds for The Prostate Cancer Charity; it is the most common cancer in men, killing one man in the UK every hour. This is a cause Colin feels passionately about and you can support his efforts by making a donation, by clicking this link http://mobro.co/colmacneill and donate online or adding your name to his sponsorship form. On the topic of good causes congratulations to Will Gaudie, who raised £10,000 cycling the Coast-to-Coast in aid of Whizz Kids. Tonight there is another Race Night in the Club and the next General Knowledge Quiz will take place on 13 December…The Christmas Party will take place on Saturday 17 December with the Members’ Christmas Draw being held the following evening…And then on 20 December we have the eagerly awaited 3rd Annual Acklam Park Pie Baking Contest, launched in 2009 (in a fit of pique by the then humiliated and distraught ‘Drisco the Leprechaun’ if the truth be told!) and won last year by ‘Bigsy the Banshee’…This will be closely followed by our Christmas Carol sing-along on Thursday 22 December, the Annual Ball on 27 December – see Simon Moore for tickets – before the year ends with a bang at our New Year’s Eve Party. Phew!! Incidentally, it was good to see former captains, the two Pauls – Manders and Williams – in the club last weekend. Unfortunately (for us) they’re back in Abu Dhabi now.

SPONSORS It gives me great pleasure to welcome as our sponsors the two Richards – Storry of Lithgow Sons and Partners, Chartered Surveyors and Auctioneers from Stokesley, and Readman of Readman Steel, suppliers/fabricators of tubular props and piles, marine equipment, steel stockholders and wharfingers, located at Cochrane’s Wharf at Cargo Fleet. We were just reminiscing through the week – over a pint, as you do – that Bill of W G Readman was the very first sponsor we had here at Acklam Park, for one of our Christmas fixtures against the former Gosforth. It turned out he was also the first sponsor to invite the players to join him and his guests after the match, an expensive gesture if ever there was one – just ask Andy Duff. We are pleased to welcome you and your guests, and grateful for your continued support

REFEREE’S CORNER I am delighted to welcome an almost new-comer to Acklam Park this afternoon. The man in charge today is Richard Whelan, who has refereed us here at Acklam Park only once before, four years ago, in that 54-7 win over Liverpool St Helens mentioned in the first paragraph. He is from South Yorkshire, and although he now works in the construction industry (for Balfour Beatty, they who have had the roads around us almost grid-locked recently) he was a Procurement Officer in the Royal Navy when last here. Before becoming a referee nine years ago Richard was a front row practitioner with Wath upon Dearne. I hope he enjoys his first visit to our new facilities today.