CONGRATULATIONS Continuing the success of our Juniors, let me start by offering very many congratulations to young Lewis Boyce, one of Budgie’s boys, who as a 15yrs 2 months-old prop has been invited to join the England U17 squad. He will still feature in the England U16 trials this season but the powers-that-be obviously see him as something very special.

WELCOME Today we have the opportunity of meeting up with a Club with which we have a long and friendly association, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome Percy Park back to Acklam Park. Until Merit Tables and leagues began to dominate fixture lists from the mid 80s we’d enjoyed annual contests with Park since time immemorial. Since then we’ve met only four times in 28 years, twice five years ago in N2E, both of which we won with an aggregate score of 125-7. Ten years earlier we won a friendly 38-28, and the following year we met in the Intermediate Cup, winning an exciting match 45-31.

We lost more encounters than we won throughout the 50s but turned the tide in the 60s with 12 wins to 3 and then embarked on a long winning streak. But we lost 35-0 at North Shields in 1969. I mention this because it is our only defeat to Park since 1963. And who were the warriors who brought such shame to Acklam Park? I can tell you – Chubb Richie; Stu Foster, John Sturman, Mal Boyes, Mike Wright; Andy Turton, Geoff Newton; Tony Rucklidge, Dave Storey, Les Barlow, Jim Jardine, W Verrier, Jim Robinson, John Trenholme and Alan Westwood. There – named and shamed! Actually we met on 27 December, the day after we played Redcar, and we were hit by a flu epidemic which laid low the likes of Alan Godson, Ian Wilkie and Peter Riley and had John Trenholme on his knees…and Mike Wright played with a dodgy knee which kept him out until Easter…and we faced a back row of six feet-plus giants including England trialist Ron Tennick. (I must admit I don’t know the 2nd row Verrier.)

Park are unlucky to here at all this afternoon. As runners up in N1E last season they met Burnage in the promotion play-off, but victory was snatched from them in the 85th min. Park had home advantage but Burnage scored 10 points in the first 10 minutes and went into the break with a 10-20 lead. In the second period Park quickly took the score to 18-20. A penalty on 60 mins gave them the lead for the first time and 5 mins later they were 26-20 ahead. Then with the game drawing to a close they had a man sin-binned. Spurning the 3 points as no good Burnage kept up the pressure until they scored near the posts on 85 minutes. As the ball went through the uprights, the whistle went for the end of the game. Four days later, by way of consolation, Park won the Northumberland Senior Cup for the first time since 1958, beating Tynedale Raiders in the final 31-25. Although disappointed at losing out on promotion to both win the Cup and finish in the highest league placing in the club’s history is no small achievement and something for which our visitors should be very proud.

A few weeks ago Park were disappointed again, this time at Old Brods, a game mentioned in our programme a fortnight ago. Without wishing to resurrect painful memories for our visitors, let me just say that deep into the second half Park were 20–8 up and coasting when, according to reports, 5 minutes of madness changed the whole game. Park’s Tony Dunn drove into a ruck, appeared to trip over, and the referee puzzled everyone by sending him to the sin bin. Four minutes later out came the card again “as though on a piece of elastic” and Park were down to 13 men with 10 minutes or so remaining. Brods took full advantage and two goals gave them a 22–20 lead. Restored to 15 players Park converted a penalty 2 minutes into injury time taking back the lead, but after seven mins of injury time Brods kicked a penalty to win 25-23, although there was heated debate in the bar afterwards as to whether or not the ball had gone between the uprights. However they are now back on track, having notched up 98 points at home in beating O Crossleyans and Gateshead.

LEAGUE NEWS Our game against Old Brods was a curious affair. Playing with the slope and the sun behind us on a glorious afternoon first-half tries from Peter Wright, Martin Dixon and Matt Helm, plus two conversions and a penalty from Wriggly Wrighty, gave us a 22-6 lead at the break. However when play resumed Brods had a man sent to the sin bin but it seemed to galvanise them and they added seven points before there was an almost dream-like sequence when we had three players yellow-carded but scored tries by Hinch and a cracker-jack from Ross McNeill, who had a splendid game on his comeback and ran the length of the field to touch down in the final minutes. Jack kicked seven points, including a touch-line conversion. Last week we scored another five tries in beating O Crossleyans. They have won only one game, at home to Gateshead, but by all accounts they gave their best performance of the season against us. Although we took a 7 point lead with a try and kick from Wriggly we were 10-7 behind 5 mins before half time. Josh then scored the first of his splendid brace to give us the lead at the break. A penalty try, plus the first of the season for Richie Horton and Josh’s second, and two conversions from Peter, gave us a 31-10 victory. Not bad considering we were without Rio, Bellers, Callum, Stonker, Shaun, Paul Norris and Jack Aldus.
Note the Members’ Reunion will take place on 24 March, when we meet Sheffield.

OUR OTHER TEAMS Not one but two full sets of victories on the board these past two weeks. The Wasps were 62-0 winners at Darlington and the ‘A’ team, chalking up their first win of the season, 27-14 at home to Stockton, with a side whose average age was 22 – it bodes well for the future. Read Jonno’s summary in this issue and his full report on the website. The Lions made it a full house by beating Redcar 24-7. Splendidly this was followed by yet another full set of ‘W’s last week, with the Wasps and the ‘A’ team beating Mowden Park (34-12 and 38-24 – read Robbie Small’s match report), and the Colts returning from Halifax with a 22-3 bonus point win (read a summary on p4 and the report on the website). Unfortunately Chris Johnson suffered concussion playing for DMP against the ‘A’ team, and Michael Duffield fractured his leg in the Wasps match to put a damper on affairs. Note that the Colts meet Brods in the Yorkshire Cup here tomorrow at 1pm, and that Yorkshire U18s meet Durham here on 30 October at 2pm.

JUNIORS Congratulations to the U12s who were joint winners of the North Yorkshire RWC Festival at York, to our U14s, having despatched Baildon from the Yorkshire Cup with a 41-0 scoreline, whilst, at the same time, beating Mowden Park 41-5 at Darlington, and to our U16s, who travelled to Sheffield Tigers for a Yorkshire Cup tie on Sunday, drew nil each, and go through as the away team. The MoM was Duggers, in only his 2nd game at full back (previous outings hooker, prop, flanker and scrum half); he was a rock under the high ball and gathered numerous difficult opposition kicks. Can the lads make it four in a row?
The U13s now have individually-named shirts, courtesy of sponsors Carbis Filtration Ltd, a Stockton based company dealing globally in the supply and manufacture of Industrial Filtration Units. Sales Director is Simon Riley, nephew of our very own Peter Riley, and General Manager is Samantha Malcolm, whose son, Ciaran, plays in the back row for the U13's.
This is second time the company has been good enough to sponsor the team so a massive thank you from the lads and everyone involved with the squad. To celebrate the lads went to the seaside and beat Redcar 63-0.

CLUB NEWS More congratulations – this time to two newly-engaged couples Simon Moore and Tracy, and Scott McNeill and Heather. The Wine and Cheese evenings are fast becoming one of the highlights of our social calendar; where else can you get a bottle of wine and all the cheese and nibbles you can eat for a fiver. Our latest event was a huge success, finishing with a good old fashioned rugby sing-song before ending in the early hours. Our thanks to the Ladies Committee. Please read the notice about the amazing sponsored cycle ride by Will Gaudie. The infamous brother of our young players Sam and Joe is attempting to ride the C2C at half term. Those who know Will realise what a massive task this will be for him and his support team. See p16. And don’t forget Bonfire Night – 5 November, 6.30pm – fireworks galore!

REFEREE’S CORNER I am delighted to welcome Richard Downing to Acklam Park this afternoon. Although he now represents the Central Yorkshire Society he played junior rugby for Morpeth. Richard has been a referee for nine years but this is his first visit to us; I hope he enjoys the experience.