APOLOGIES Let me again apologise, not only to all of our faithful readers, but also to our advertisers, for the temporary programme produced for the Northern game. The fact that in the end it contained much of the important information in an acceptable format was the result of a lot of effort by several people, including Piers Mitchell, Tony Hawkins and the caucus of staff from our former printer who pulled out all the stops to help us in our hour of need; they deserve our heartiest thanks. Hopefully today’s issue will look a little more familiar to you all!

WELCOME And now let me offer a warm welcome to our visitors from Halifax. We’ve met O Crossleyans nine times over the past 19 years, winning all but one and with all but two of those fixtures being here at Acklam Park. Only three of the matches were league matches and four were cup ties, two each in the Intermediate and Yorkshire Cups – our first County Cup game was here 18 years ago and is that solitary defeat, by 10-17. Seven years ago we won our first NIC game 44-27, with our last encounter also being in the NIC, three years ago, when we won 29-10. Two years earlier we met twice in N2E, scoring 13 tries in winning both games, although the game at Halifax was a close run affair at 33-24. Tries from Martin Howe, Ross and Aidie Rose took us to a 19-0 lead after 15 minutes but Crocs hit back to make the score at the break 19-14. In the second half Ross and Martin completed their brace, both converted by Simon, in a game which saw Jack Aldus appear then as one of our very talented Colts.

Last season Old Crossleyans finished comfortably mid table but are lying third bottom at present. We played them six games into the season when their only victory was at home to Gateshead. In what was described as one of their best displays of the season they took a 10-7 lead against us and were only 10-12 down at half time. However we added 19 unanswered points in the second half. Until a fortnight ago our visitors had won only three games from 15 and hadn’t won a match since 22 October, when they beat Malton & Norton 18-12, extending their losing streak to eight games. However their form has picked up, starting at home against Percy Park when they turned the tables on the North Shields outfit. They established a 16-0 lead at the break, and then exchanged tries to take the score to 21-5 before Park added a penalty and a goal to make it 21-15 with ten minutes on the clock; there was no further scoring. And then in a rearranged game at home on Saturday, despite their opponents Northern taking an early 5-0 lead they went into the break 12-8 ahead. In a dour second half struggle the only score was a penalty for Crocs. For the record their other win was at Team Northumbria and is their only away win to date. In wishing them well for the rest of the season, I must say I hope their away form doesn’t improve just yet!

LEAGUE NEWS In our last game at Old Brodleians we hung on for a 20-19 win to stay third in the league after O Brods missed a very kickable penalty at the death. Jack B kicked two and converted two tries, his second one proving vital when it bounced over off the bar. We failed to build on a cracking start as we caught the kick-off and drove almost to the line before moving the ball out. We set up a maul and drove Richie H over for an early score, but were unable to add to it until we trailed 16-7 midway through the second half. Ross then finished off a good move and Jack’s penalties gave us a 20-16 lead. Old Brods landed only one of three penalties in the last ten minutes. A week earlier we slipped to third place when we lost a disappointing game 21-19 at home to Northern. Centre Rob Bellerby cried off through illness and was badly missed as Northern went straight through the middle for the try which turned the game. We’d dominated the first half hour and led 7-0 through a good try by Ross, converted by Simon. But it was all square 7-7 at half-time; then Northern got on top and with the help of an interception try they forged 21-7 ahead. Jamie Muncer pulled one back but it was getting late in the day and time was almost up when Josh Evans crossed in the corner. Simon, having converted Jamie’s try from the left touchline, narrowly failed with his attempt to level the score from the opposite touchline. (Acknowledgements to Tim Wellock of the Northern Echo for some of the reporting).

OUR OTHER TEAMS Since we last met the Lions have continued their cracking form this season by beating Acklam (18-0), Darlington (27-14) and then last week Stockton (24-7); they’ve now won 11 of their 14 matches, compared to only three from 20 last season – it’s one heck of an improvement! Meanwhile the ‘A’ team keep up the good work, following their 27-24 win against Darlington two weeks ago with an impressive 43-14 win at Hartlepool last Saturday. Jonno’s match report is on p20.

The Colts are also in fine form. Following their draw with second-placed Yarnbury they really enjoyed their Christmas break, returning in rousing style to beat Halifax 43-0 as a forerunner to meeting Billingham in the National Plate last Sunday. Although the game was played at Acklam Park we clarified with the organisers that in the event of a draw we would progress as the away team (sic). However it turned out to be an unnecessary precaution. We won 36-10 in a match very well refereed by a good Durham Society lady official, Nikki O’Donnell, who had been in charge of the Sunderland/Hartlepool Rovers match the day before and will do N1E next year. The victory was not as easy as the score suggests. Billingham were a big side with strong, free-running backs who always looked dangerous, but in the end we were the better team, scoring six tries to two. A summary of Terry’s match report is on p5, with a fuller version on the website.

JUNIORS Congratulations and the best of luck to Lewis Boyce, Tom Burridge and Jack McPhillips, three of our U16s who played in the North of England final trial match this morning at Wilmslow. All three lads started in one of the mixed teams. The final squad will be announced this Monday and will play in the inter-district festival and England trials at Broadstreet in two weeks. We wish them every success.

The Christmas break obviously worked wonders for our youngsters. Back in harness the U15s fielded two teams, beating Westoe and Redcar, whilst the U14s and the U16s beat Rovers and Guisborough. The combined scores were 168-36. Last week the U14s’ two teams beat Westoe and Redcar with the combined scores of 120-22, whilst the U13s beat Guisborough 20-5. Great!

CLUB NEWS First let me remind everyone – by which I mean every single one of us, players, members and spectators alike – of the Club’s responsibilities in observing the ‘Code of Rugby’ printed top right on the centre spread, particularly the reference to ‘Respect’. In a recent home game the referee had occasion to banish from the touchline one of our members for verbally abusing the official; he was then called before the Yorkshire Disciplinary Committee which concurred with the Club’s decision to suspend him from all home games for four weeks.

And now some brighter news. This year marks the centenary of the R F Oakes games which have long been a feature of the Hartlepool Rovers season, continuing in his memory after Bob’s death in 1952. The first game was in April 1912 against Yorkshire and maintaining the County connection Rovers have invited us to provide the opposition in a special Centenary Game on Saturday 5 May. The game will be part of a weekend of celebrations, to include a dinner dance on Friday evening, a memorial service at St Hilda’s on Sunday followed by a cheese and wine reception at The Friarage and then a veterans game between Rovers and the Fire Brigade.

You will recall that the efforts of Mark ‘Pieman Cowell’ and his cronies at the Pie Baking Contest raised £600 for the air ambulance (with special thanks to elfin Stozz), and that I promised you a detailed report in our next normal issue, which is this one! The report is on p17.
REFEREE’S CORNER The appointed referee for today’s game was David Patterson, who took charge of our first game of the season against Durham City, but unfortunately he has had to withdraw through injury. In his place I am delighted to welcome back Hatim Tall from Brough in the East Riding, who has been here at least twice before, when we played Beverley three years ago and Lymm last year (I’ve got my fingers crossed, as he was in Sweden until yesterday!). Hatim has been a referee for ten seasons and played his rugby at Hull Ionians and Goole.