GREETINGS & WELCOME Although it might seem a little early, this is our last edition before 2012 so allow me to wish you all the compliments of the season – a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. I hope Santa Claus is kind to you and yours.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome our friends and neighbours from up the road at Billingham. It has been great to have local derbies back in the calendar. We each won our home game last season (a trend I hope to see continued today!) with scores of 33-8 here and 20-3 at Billingham. Two years earlier we met here at New Year (which again went to the home side!) and in 2005 we were in opposition in the Intermediate Cup at Greenwood Avenue, a game we won 36-7.

Billingham have 13 bonus points from 13 games. Although they lost their opening game at Percy Park they are sitting at the top of the table and must be odds on to bounce straight back into North One. Their only other defeat was at Wheatley Hills where they came back from being 38-10 down to grab a bonus point. In sweeping everyone else aside they have scored the highest number of points, conceded the fewest points and earned the most bonus points. However let me also blow our trumpet – we are the second highest points scorers with the second lowest number of points conceded, earning us the second highest total of bonus points. Let battle commence!

LEAGUE NEWS I am delighted to report that Peter Wright scored his 100th try for the 1st XV last week at Wheatley Hills. Many congratulations to him, and to the team who tuned up for today by returning to form with a 28-5 win. The Doncaster club remain one point ahead of us but we arrested the slide of consecutive defeats. We were under constant pressure for the first half hour, saw very little of the ball and trailed 5-0 but then scored two converted tries before half-time and added two more after the break, when the pack came into their own and really took charge of the match. The first try was scored when the forwards fed Craig who charged over and for the second Paul put in a delicate chip for Ross to run on to and score. Peter then nipped over from a ruck to score his 100th try after 50 minutes and finally Frenchy Phil was driven over. Jack added all the conversions. (Returning to Peter’s try-scoring achievement, he is some way off his father’s record. Mike, previous 1st XV captain and scrum half and now Club Chairman, scored a club record of 167 tries, although Peter insists his strike rate is better than his dad’s!)

The game against Cleckheaton was odd. For long stretches our opponents looked the better side and yet in the first period scored two goals from only two incursions into our half. Jack had given us the lead with a penalty and then added a second, and we crossed the line 3 times without grounding the ball. After the break Peter scored before an injury to Gavin held up play; with Gav prostrate the referee, worried about the light, decided to switch play onto second pitch where Jack scored a try and a late penalty to earn a losing bonus point; the final score was 19-26. (Gavin was taken to hospital as a precaution but is OK and was back in the Club that evening.)

OUR OTHER TEAMS Let me start by congratulating Toby Tremlett on his fine achievement on being included in the Yorkshire U20s squad for 2012 – see below for more good news about representative honours for our U16s. Since we last met the Wasps broke their run of defeats with a fine win against Morpeth, in which the front row all scored tries to chalk up a 29-20 victory, the ‘A’ team’s seven match winning streak came to an end at Darlington in the Tees Valley Cup but the Lions beat Northallerton in the North Yorkshire Trophy and the Colts walloped Leeds Corinthians 60-0 in a league match. The Colts are top of the Yorkshire U19 Senior Colts (North) table, with only one defeat in 12 matches. Bottom club Keighley were their expected visitors on Sunday but didn’t turn up; tomorrow they go to Huddersfield YMCA, who are fourth in the table – see table in full on page 17.

Incidentally praise to 79 year-old Bobby Thompson, picked for the Lions on Saturday but playing for the Wasps against Horden whilst the ‘A’ team returned to winning ways at Washington. Jonno’s two match reports are in this issue.

JUNIORS The last round of U16s Inter County Games saw Yorkshire beat Cheshire 46-5 and the combined Northumberland/Durham/Cumbria side winning 24-17 against Lancashire at Preston. There was strong representation from Boro with Lewis Boyce and Tom Burridge in the Yorkshire Squad (with Josh Bainbridge and Jack McPhillips still crocked but on the mend) and Tom Mavin, Fezan Mughal and Lorcan O’ Donnell in the combined squad. As a Club we can be very proud with nine lads taking part at this level. After these games Lewis Boyce, Tom Burridge, Jack McPhillips and Fezan Mughal made it through to the North of England Development Weekend at Leeds on 14/15 January. Well done lads, a great achievement, and commiserations to Josh Bainbridge, Sam Gaudie, Tom Mavin, Lorcan O'Donnell and Dan Osborn - you did the team, your coaches and the Club proud, but most of all you were a credit to yourselves. And congratulations to the U14s who, on the same day and at the same time, beat Percy Park and Thirsk, by the combined score of 104- 20.
YORKSHIRE CUP QUARTER FINALS HERE TOMORROW
KO 11am U14s v Harrogate; U15s v Old Leodensians (Plate). KO 1pm U16s v Huddersfield

CLUB NEWS There is another new arrival to celebrate– many congratulations to Julia (nee O’Connor) and Andrew Tucker, proud parents of a baby girl, Lily Isabel. Eddie Scott joined Colin McNeill in sprouting an awesome hirsute effort as part of the national November charity event – not a pretty sight. Incidentally Will Gaudie has now raised over £13,500 by his superhuman effort in cycling the Coast-to-Coast in aid of Whizz Kids. We have a great fun-packed diary of special events lined up for your enjoyment, starting today, with the Christmas Lunch followed immediately by the Lizard run; tee off at 7 o’clock in the bar with the dress code for all golfers this year being Santa Claus. What a sight to puzzle the children – 80 Father Christmas’s lurching down Linthorpe Road. The next General Knowledge Quiz will take place on Tuesday. Next Saturday the Ladies Committee have organised a children’s party, complete with Santa and a magician, so there’ll be lots of hyperactive little people running around the place…which reminds me that on the same night there is also a Horton family celebration so beware! The following night we have the Members’ Christmas Draw and then on 20 December there is the 3rd Annual Acklam Park Savoury Pie Baking Contest, launched in 2009 by a humiliated and distraught ‘Little Drisco the Leprechaun’ but organised now by Pieman ‘Jonesy’ Cowell and won last year by ‘Bigsy the Banshee.’ To qualify pies must have a pastry top and bottom; entry is £5 with all proceeds being donated to a charity of the winner’s choice. Sweet pies will be very welcome, as tasty morsels will be available to all comers, in exchange for a small donation. So get the oven on! This will be closely followed by our Christmas Carol sing-along on Thursday 22 December. Over 110 years ago the Bishop of Truro was the first person to organise a Carol Service, hoping to keep people away from drinking in pubs. So don’t go to a pub, come along and combine singing carols and drinking in the Club! To round off the month the Alan Todd Memorial Match and the Annual Ball at the Thistle Hotel are on the 27th – see Simon Moore for tickets – before the year ends with a bang at our New Year’s Eve Party.

SPONSORS Today I have the very great pleasure of welcoming a well known and regular visitor to Acklam Park, Ashley Deakin, and his guests. Ashley is from one of my favourite companies – Carlsberg Tetley, and the Club is delighted with their continued support. I hope that Ashley and his guests enjoy this afternoon as much as I enjoy his company’s products!

REFEREE’S CORNER I am delighted to welcome a new-comer to Acklam Park this afternoon. The man in charge today is police officer Andy Baker, who has been a referee for 11 years. Before taking up the whistle Andy was a front row forward who played for Brunel University, Slough, Metropolitan Police and Staines. I hope he enjoys his first visit to Acklam Park today.