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19th April 2008 - Hull Ionians v Fylde - National 3 North report photos more photos N3N Review
Programme
Notes:
·
Today it’s a welcome for Caldy who make their first visit to
Brantingham Park, ending the season with the return of the fixture that started
it. Caldy came up into National 3 this season after wining North One last year
and like all of us have found it tough going at times when injuries disrupt the
team. The Caldy team has risen well to the challenges faced and have so far won
half their matches and drawn two giving them a secure platform from which to
build for the future. Their worst injury came two weeks ago when their Irish
International fullback Simon Mason broke his leg playing for their second XV
when they had a late call off. We wish Simon a speedy recovery in a poor end to
a season in which he intended to hang up his boots.
· Elsewhere in our league Tynedale continue to extend their lead at the top. Darlington Mowden Park slipped up last week at escape artists Macclesfield and must win at relegation threatened Morley this week to ensure their play-off place away to Cinderford. Fylde are breathing down their necks and have the tough challenge of winning at Tynedale to overtake them if they slip up. At the other end Beverley and West Park are down, West Park this week facing some of their deserters who went to ‘Hoppers. Macclesfield look favourites to escape the drop provided either they beat Leicester Lions at home, or at least get a bonus point, or Morley loose.
· So who is coming in? Halifax and Nuneaton drop down from National 2 while Kendal and Loughborough Students have won North 1 and Midlands 1. The play-off sees Huddersfield at home to Luctonians. So we have the prospect of at least 1, if not 2 more Yorkshire matches next year and possibly no trips north up the A1.
· We all look forward to a good summer secure in the knowledge that we will be back in September again playing National 3 Rugby. Our Rugby Management Team will be busy talking to players both old and knew with the clear aim of continuing to raise our standards and the players will be back in full training in July. Enjoy yourselves but please keep an eye on our web site and notice boards for some interesting events, some of which are listed below or on the Events page.
·
On Sunday May 11th at 3pm we have a Charity Rugby Match
in aid of Darren Fletcher. Darren played 8 matches for Hull Ionians in the
2002-4 seasons and had been planning to play again for us this season until he
suffered his serious neck injury last August. Darren’s previous clubs
Wakefield, Dinnington and Rotherham will also be involved in this fund raising
match against Yorkshire Legends. The Legends will be captained by Dave Scully
with Will Greenwood and Jon Sleightholme invited to play. There is a pre-match
lunch for this match at £25 each, arrive for midday, so please book your place
or table via the office or Mike Cawthorn.
·
Our referee
today is Mark Liddell. We have met Mark away this year at West Park and
Beverley but his last visit here was September 2006 when we played Darlington.
Mark is married to Janette and has two children, Rebecca and Liam. As a family
their hobbies are camping walking and cycling, just generally being out doors.
Before starting refereeing in 1999, Mark coached and managed an U19 team for
three years for Handsworth RUFC, with whom he has been a member since he was 7
years old. He played in every team from U8 to U19 and all senior sides but had
to stop playing due to a neck and shoulder injury. Mark took up refereeing to
stay involved in the game and has found that he enjoys it even more than
playing.
· Our Touch Judges today are Richard Massey and Stephen Gammage. Richard has again travelled up from Spalding for his 6th time with us this year, his 5th at Brantingham Park. Stephen, from Hinckley, has only met us away at Preston and Macclesfield this year, so welcome back to Brantingham Park.
Brian Norman
Programme Editor
Right Hand page - End of Season Report
Another
season comes to a close on what can only be described as a very up and down
season. We have had the highs of beating Preston away (who where unbeaten at
home at the time), doing the double over our east Yorkshire rivals Beverley,
then recently going so close away to Tynedale. In contrast are the massive low
of being beaten 74-0 away to Darlington, then recently losing to Macclesfield
and Morley when both clubs where near the bottom and struggling for survival.
At the time of writing we are sitting mid table, having won 12 and lost 13. A
win today is a must to finish the season 50/50, which is less than we had hoped
for at the beginning of the season. We started the season very brightly and at
one point we had played 12 and only lost 3 games. We then had the crushing
defeat by Darlington, which seemed to knock the wind out of us. It was very
unfortunate to come up against them then as on the previous Thursday they had
just received a big hand full of players from Newcastle Falcons and the
difference in class was plain to see. Since then we seemed to loose the games
which earlier in the season we would have won.
The season’s successes included bringing the young lads through into the first
team, as you know we like to give our homegrown talent the chance to prove their
worth. We have had another good crop of youngsters coming through with Danny
Waddy, Danny Ulliott, Albert Thundercliffe, Ryan Girking, James Liddle and
Kieran Dannatt all playing in the first team at some point during the season.
Things are again looking bright for the future of the club.
The second team need a big mention, they are guaranteed second place in the
Yorkshire Premier league. They have had some great results along the way and
also went on a 13 game winning streak, only to lose to top of the table
Wharfedale away from home. These results have not come easily. There has been
some hard work behind the scene with Dave Wilson, Rich Cowan and Mally Knowles
putting in lot’s of time, effort, phone calls and the occasional pulling on
the shirt to make up the numbers. I thank you because without your hard work I
don’t think the firsts season would have gone so smoothly.
What for the future I hear you ask? Will we ever be a National 2 club? Well I
would like to think yes. I don’t know if it will be next season but I hope
it’s not too far off in the future. Plans are starting to fall into place for
next season and hopefully we can finish a lot nearer the top than we are now.
To finish off I would like to thank Steve Townend for all his help during
training and match days, plus Grahame Simm and the backroom staff for their hard
work. To Abi and her Physio team for keeping the boys on the pitch and to Rob
Ferguson and John Caplin for the medical help on game days. A massive thanks to
all the sponsors who help with funding for all our necessities and naturally
great thanks to the supporters who turn up every week and cheer the lads on.
Last but by no means least the players who give their all every week at training
and in every game, thanks for your time and hard work.
Up the I’s
Mick Watson
Copyright: Hull Ionians retain the copyright of all data and photographs on this web site but give permission for them to be used for the promotion of rugby by the clubs they are associated with. Any use beyond this should seek the permission of the web site Editor, Brian Norman, and a fee to the club may be due. All rights reserved © 2008.