WELCOME...to you all, happily gathered here at our Reunion to help us celebrate the countdown to the end of the season. It's always great to mingle with so many familiar faces – some seen not quite so recently as others, some of whom have travelled a distance to join us – and to share a pint or two whilst reliving some of those unforgettable memories. Thank you all for coming along today, with a special thanks to Martin Wain for his indefatigable contribution in ferreting out your contact details. I hope you are all in good voice, and that some of you will be more regular visitors in future.
And a very warm welcome to our old friends from Durham City, coming here as champions in all but name; I know it's not yet mathematically certain but it's as close as it can be. They've carried all before them this season, apart from a slip-up at home to Consett, 8-15, at the beginning of November. We lost the corresponding game 23-13, which is the lowest number of league points scored by City all season, other than the Consett game, but very impressively they topped the 1000 points mark by beating Stockton 69-14 last week. Whilst we finish our season at home to Rovers next week, City end their campaign at Gosforth.
LEAGUE RUGBY As a result of continuing opposition to the RFU-proposed restructuring which would reduce leagues down from 14 to 12 teams (such opposition coming in the main from clubs in the North, including us) the RFU Council, facing ongoing calls for a SGM, at it's meeting a week past Friday “voted to overturn its original decision to implement the Adult Competition Review recommendations concerning adult 1st XV rugby.” After much song-and-dance, and substantial cost, the status quo remains.
Last week we struggled up front against the Horden pack, as indeed did City the week previous, which meant that for the most part we were on the back foot and struggled to establish any kind of platform. Nevertheless we won 14-24. Horden opened the scoring with two penalties – one from the half-way line of a very short pitch. We replied when Conner took a quick tap penalty and found a gap to score. Charlie Bircham added the conversion; Charlie kicked well all afternoon, converting all the tries and just missing one penalty attempt, but nailing the other, which he got just before half time.
We then had the advantage of the breeze, but Horden were next to strike from a powerful scrum, leading to their winger crossing the line. However we stuck to our task and enjoyed a period of ascendancy, scoring tries when Joe beat his tackler and scored between the posts and then a real crackerjack when the ball flew from a scrum to Mike and onto Rhys to put Charlie over in the corner. Horden finished strongly but failed to add to their tally.
I'm still trying to get my head around what happened two weeks ago in the Consett match. Consett are more than a useful team – the only side to dent City's run of wins – and came at us with all guns blazing. They were the clear winners of first half, with the 10-16 score at half time a lot closer than it might have been but for some dogged defence. I wasn't alone in anticipating a battle to hang on for a losing bonus point. But, as our visitors discovered, it is dangerous to write us off and in the end, despite a Euan try being disallowed for the second consecutive week, we scored a four-try bonus point 28-16 win with a totally dominant second half performance.
I can't explain such a complete turn-round in fortune; it's true that the game was littered with yellow cards, seven I think, plus a red one to Consett late in the game, and such interruptions do affect the flow of the game, but the difference after the break was quite remarkable. I should add that the opening session wasn't all doom and gloom; we did score first with three points from Sam, and although Consett took a 3-6 lead a break by Sam, and an off-load to Euan brought a score under the posts by Ali. However our opponents added 10 points before the break and we were six points adrift. And then the transformation. Another penalty from Sam and a try from James gave us a slender two point lead, but a lead nonetheless. We really cranked up the pressure as the game progressed and a try apiece for the Gaudie's was a thrilling end to a game which confirmed that our second spot in the table was unassailable.
And what about promotion? It's more than likely that we will play Malton & Norton (Y1) for the right to be promoted into N1E. Home advantage will go to the team with the best playing record; at present we are only just ahead. We'll be looking for their results away to table-toppers Bradford & Bingley today and their last game at home to fourth-placed Hullensians next week.
OTHER MATCHES So it was not an April Fool! Jason Malcolm's notice posted on the website that our U17s were playing Mowden Park on Friday 1 April in the Northern Area final of the National Plate was no joke. They played under lights in the Arena and in a great advert for rugby they won 0-14. They received a trophy for their endeavours and they progress to meet the winners of the Midlands Area final tomorrow. Their opponents are Leicester Forest RFC, and the “neutral” venue is Moseley! The lads will leave at 7.30am for a 12 o'clock kick off; I wonder what time the Leicester lads will leave. If successful they will progress to the final on Sunday 1st May, to be held at the AJ Bell Stadium, Manchester, home to Sale Sharks. And they play West Hartlepool in the Durham Cup final next Sunday at Bishop Auckland. Currently unbeaten they face a tough few weeks ahead to retain that proud record through to the end of the season. Congratulations and the very best of luck to the team; they are having a truly amazing season.

Yorkshire U20s have done it again! Congratulations particularly to Sam Gaudie on his very impressive contribution to the team. On Sunday they beat Hertfordshire 37-19 in the semi-final of the National Championships to ensure their place in the Final on 7 May at Twickenham, where they will meet Northumberland who they’ve already beaten in the pool stages. Yorkshire won the Championship last season and have dominated this event in recent times, winning it seven times in the last 13 years. Here's hoping for number eight. Three season's ago Yorkshire launched the defence of their National U20 RU Championship title here at Acklam Park, when they scored six tries in a 40-14 victory over...Northumberland! Incidentally Durham U20s will join Yorkshire at Twickenham; they are in the Final of the National Shield against Hampshire.

Our U15s put in quite a shift in the Easter break. They went off to Rhyl, N Wales, and over the 2/3 April played five matches, with their opposition including teams from Scotland and the Midlands. It proved to be good preparation for last week's game at Mowden Park, which they won 10-38 to maintain their record of having lost only once since Christmas. Our U12s really enjoyed themselves in the mud at the Whitby Festival, winning all three of their matches. This programme includes a report by Lee Walker.
CLUB NEWS Steaming up on the horizon is our Annual Dinner and Presentation Night at the Sporting Lodge on Friday 13 May; if you haven't already done so ask your team captain, coach, Simon Moore, Don Brydon or Richard Ward for tickets. Our Junior Dinner is the next Friday. Yet another reminder - our Beer Festival this year it will run from Friday evening to Saturday night, 22/23 July, and will include a selection of ciders as well as live music. Make a note to get here early – we sold out last year!
SPONSORS I am delighted to welcome back two of our regular sponsors this afternoon. They is Andrew Gloag of Gloag & Sons Ltd, a farming and contracting business based on their farm on the outskirts of Stokesley. The business has developed through a variety of agricultural activity, and having plant and equipment available for hire. The family's association with the Club started with Andrew’s father, a Scottish international, who played here in the 50s. The other sponsor also has a father-and-son association with the club – he is Tom Seymour (John’s son), who, as Dromonby Fisheries, also of Stokesley, has developed private fishing facilities across a sequence of waterways on their farmland. We thank them for their continued support.

REFEREE'S CORNER And finally we offer a warm welcome to the man in charge today, Jordan Wagner, a Project Manager from Leeds. Although he is making his first visit to Acklam Park he did referee us last season at Yarnbury. Before becoming a referee five years ago Jordan played fly-half for West Park Leeds. I hope he enjoys his time with us this afternoon.