From the Touchline – Sat 9th November

This weekend we have the pleasure of welcoming Doncaster Knights who, after being relegated from the Championship last season, are currently sitting top of National One having won eight of their games with only a narrow defeat at Henley to spoil the record.

Presently they are on 41 points having last week comfortably accounted for Tynedale 55 – 3 scoring nine tries in the process. Matt Clarke, a former Blaydon player, registered his second hat trick of the season and is now the league’s leading try scorer with eleven touch downs. Matt is well remembered at Blaydon for his scoring prowess and we will have to be on top form to prevent him adding to his total.

Last week we won an entertaining game from our point of view 39 – 5 against Henley Hawks who as mentioned above, had on the previous week, beaten our opponents today. In our match Henley did have ample possession but were unable to break our defensive line-up and in the latter stages fell away to some good attacking rugby which saw us register six tries.

Other games played last week saw Fylde account for the previously unbeaten Rosslyn Park, Wharfedale, Worthing, Esher and Blackheath easily accounted for their opposition and there was a narrow win for Old Albanian over Richmond.

The results see Doncaster Knights at the top with Esher three points behind, followed by Rosslyn Park on 33 points. At the bottom end of the table, Hull Ionians have two points and look, even at this stage, as if they will struggle to stay up – Tynedale are second bottom with ten points and just above them are Cinderford and Richmond. However, Tynedale and Cinderford have been in this position before and escaped but this season, competition is stronger than ever and both sides need to start up a run of victories.

Following on from the visits of Alan Robson and Bobby Snaith from South Africa, last week we had “Painless Pete” visiting from Sri Lanka and at the pre-match lunch, his guests were the grandsons of two former Presidents – Dr. Morrison (1897/1949) and John Armstrong (1949). Painless is still here this week and hopes to see us record our sixth successive victory!

This weekend’s match is sponsored by our JUNIOR SECTION to whom we offer our thanks for their continued support and the match ball is also sponsored by long-term supporter JAMES BUCHANAN recently returned from his Indian travels!

Finally, many thanks to all the players and supporters who turned out for stewarding duties on the extremely wet Bonfire Night. Whilst numbers were down on last year, we still ended up on the positive side. Thanks also to Sheila Archibald in the office and to Richard Hails and Eric Hall for their administrative duties.

BLAYDON v DONCASTER KNIGHTS – SATURDAY 9th NOVEMBER 2014 – KICK OFF 2:00PM

MATCH SPONSOR – JUNIOR SECTION
MATCH BALL SPONSOR – JAMES BUCHANAN
REFEREE : LLYR APGERIANT – ROBERTS
ASSISTANT REFEREES : ANDREW GARDNER/PAUL EMMERSON

LAST WEEK’S GAMES:
BLAYDON DEVELOPMENT  8 – HORDEN 2nds 6
BLAYDON U15’s 55 – BUITH WELLS 5

THIS WEEK’S MATCHES :
BLAYDON GEORGIANS v PERCY PARK LIONS
BLAYDON DEVELOPMENT v NORTHERN WANDERERS
BLAYDON BRICKS TO BE ARRANGED