WELCOME...to a very special day, and what a day it has been already, and, hopefully, it's going to get even better! Firstly, as it is our last home game before the Festive Season let me be the first to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And of course that means that once again we had the pleasure of enjoying another fantastic Christmas lunch, brilliantly prepared by Linda and Ian, to whom we owe a huge 'thank you' for presenting such splendid festive fayre.

Secondly, after today;s game we have a very special presentation, the second such event this season. To commemorate his outstanding record of 300 1st team appearances, during which he has scored 622 points, Peter Wright will be presented with a token of our gratitude and admiration. Had he not gone off to study at St John's University, York, during which time he joined Otley, he may even have nudged his father, Mike, who achieved an astonishing 417 games for us, second only to Tom Jones, on 437. (I believe the two of them are the only ones to top 400 appearances, although Jimmy Robbo fell just short with 394).

Thirdly, and nicely sandwiched between those two events, is today's main attraction, our last league game of 2015 against Horden. It gives me great pleasure to welcome our visitors back to Acklam Park for what I hope will be a real humdinger of a game. We last met nine years ago in 2006/7, the year we won promotion from N2E. We lost only one league match that season, in the process beating Horden here 56-6, with a hat trick of tries from the very same Peter Wright (plus a brace from Brad and one from Andy Mick, both still playing 1st team rugby for us) and 33-13 in the return match.

Following a disappointing relegation season in N2E last season, Horden are now enjoying a much better run of results with six victories from 11 games. They opened their account with a win at Medicals, although this was their only away win until they posted 56 points against Darlington a month ago. In five home games they have lost only once, to Consett. Their last opponents are our next opponents, high-flying Durham City, where they lost 24-5. Whatever the score today I hope the game and the weather leave us with a feeling of well-being .

LEAGUE RUGBY Our last match only just survived the atrocious weather. We arrived at Consett to be met by Arctic winds, an ice rink for a car park and a snow-bound pitch (take a look at the photographs on the website) but a home team more than anxious to play the game, being on a very successful roll, having lost only once and only a single point behind us in the table. We decided to go ahead, and thankfully won a very competitive match by the narrow margin of two points. Consett were 9-3 up at the break and then 12-3 and 15-6 ahead, with their full back kicking all their points and Sam responding. Two more penalties from Sam put us within touch of a win, achieved when Liam Wilson took a pass from Rhys to crash over with minutes to spare. It's fair to say that we monopolised the try-scoring opportunities, missing four chances as a result of frozen hands, and deservedly picked up the points.

In our last home game we ran in 11 tries and scored 69 points against Darlington. Although this is more than any other team in the league except Stockton and it did our points difference the world of good, it was hard not to feel some sympathy for the Darlington players. They gave a good account of themselves in the first half and in fact crashed over for a try on the stroke of half time to make the score 19-5. However eight more tries in the second half really put paid to their resistance. James Wardle scored a hat trick and Rhys got a brace, whilst the score sheet included Sam, who finished a move which started deep in our own half – and then added one of seven of his conversions! - Richie, Euan, Mike, Brad and Andy. There was one moment of high comedy, straddling half time. Five minutes into the second period the Darlington bench called to the referee to ask him how long was left on the yellow card. “I haven't given any yellow cards” he yelled back. It turned out that after a dressing down just before the break their player saw a yellow card and trudged off – it was the ref's score card...it was yellow!

After today we face a daunting run-in to the festivities – away games next week at table-topping Durham City followed by the first of our return fixtures, a trip to Medicals, who, incidentally, have has two points deducted. Come Christmas we'll have a good idea where we stand in the scheme of things.

OTHER MATCHES The weather was filthy last Sunday but that didn't stop our warriors from performing heroics. Our Colts continued their recent resurgent form when they entertained Doncaster in the Yorkshire Cup. Having lost 10-31 to Donny earlier in the season, our young men were determined to reverse the result. They did; they won 13-10 in a game with the final result always in doubt. Many people had Donny chalked up as favourites to win the Cup – but they won't. It's fair to say they were surprised to be defied so valiantly by some exceptionally brave and wholehearted play from our guys. It was a great performance! Their reward is an away semi final at Beverley on 14 February – only one step away from the final. We know you can do it! A fortnight earlier the are hosts to Billingham in the National Colts Cup.

Whilst the first team were enjoying themselves against Darlington the Wasps and the 'A' team suffered nail-biting defeats. The Wasps were at West Hartlepool, where both teams scored three tries; unfortunately West converted one of theirs, something we failed to achieve, so we lost 15-17. The 'A' team were hosts to Northallerton and although leading at half time they conceded a penalty try and seven points to lose another very tense encounter by 10 points to 12.

JUNIORS In a game which might have been postponed on another day the U17s beat Mowden Park 31-5. DMP struck first to take an early 5-0 lead but Boro found a couple of gears and crossed the line twice with Lewis Edwards and Sam Seymour scrambling over before the break to give them a 10-5 advantage. The second half was equally as cold, wet and muddy, but Boro looked to the bench and never faltered, with Alex Humphrey crossing twice and George Dawson adding another, with conversions by Humphs, Jonno and Olly. Our other young men also performed admirably. The U16s, hosts to Scarborough, won 65-0 and the U14s played a rearranged game at Houghton and won 46-0. Our U15s lost only their third match of 12, 5-22, at home to a strong Stockton team. Thanks to Lee Walker there is a special report on the U12s on p9.

CLUB NEWS First let me congratulate Richie Lonsdale and Lindsey, who became very proud parents to son Stanley a couple of weeks ago. Mother and baby are doing fine, although Tarmac is not sure how to cope with a splendidly noisy son! Next, please note that our Yorkshire Shield match against Keighley, originally scheduled for last week, is likely to be played next year, probably on 27 February, but this will be confirmed asap. Keighley played a rearranged league match last week.

Incidentally, how many of you can recall the Jeffers brothers, Peter and Paul, who played here in the late 80s? They had another brother, John, who didn't play for us but whose son Tim is playing full back for Sale. Obviously runs in the family.

SPONSORS Today we are delighted to welcome Ashley Deakin of Carlsberg as our sponsor, with thanks for his continued support. Carlsberg was founded 168 years ago by Jacob Jacobsen, being named after his son Carl and bjerg, the Danish word for hill, on which the brewery was built. Over the years Carlsberg has continued to provide first class drinks, with its Export lager always being our top seller.

REFEREE'S CORNER And now for something completely different – a referee who has never before set foot in Acklam Park. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Harry Walbaum for his very first visit to these hallowed halls. In fact Harry has been refereeing for only two years. He has not played club rugby but has played representative rugby, being selected for Midland Counties U16s at scrum half. He is a university student, studying criminology at York. I hope he has an enjoyable and memorable experience with us this afternoon.