Kingstone Press National Conference League Division Two Crosfields V Shaw Cross Sharks Saturday 11th May 2019 Crosfields ARLFC - Club Officials Life President Colin Webb Vice Presidents Pat Gibbons, Annette Parker, Tony Parker, Neil Stephenson Chair Mike Donnison Secretary Tony Parker Committee Dominic Caswell, Chris Hull, Matt Mahoney, Annette Parker, Steve Pickersgill Head Coach Ian Boden Assistants Chris Hull, Matt Wilson Alliance Coach Andrew “Franco” Campbell Assistant Lou Walsh Junior Section Chair Lewis Worthington Secretary Kate Hall Treasurer Jeanette Buller Subs Secretary Jackie Thomason Welfare Officer Tammy Smith Crosfields ARLFC – Chair’s Welcome Good afternoon and a warm welcome to Crosfields ARLFC at the Webb Security Recreation Ground. Today, we welcome the players, supporters and officials from Shaw Cross Sharks, for today’s Kingstone Press NCL Division Two Round Ten game. Half back Callum Barker is Shaw Cross Sharks leading try-scorer with 8, whilst Luke Hudson has picked up 2 man of the match awards. Our visitors are currently lying next to bottom in the division and have lost their last four games. We must be aware, though, that these were against the teams lying 2nd to 5th in the table and Shaw Cross Sharks will provide a good account of themselves today. Crosfields are lying mid-table having won 4 and lost 5. We have lost our last two outings, but like our visitors, we will be hoping to return to winning ways today. Jack Reid is the stats man, so far. Leading the try scoring with 7, the goal scoring with 34 and therefore the points scoring with 96. He has also picked up 5 man of the match awards. A couple of months ago, one of our players Dan Worrall had a serious accident. Further in today’s programme is information about forth-coming fund- raising events and a GOFUNDME page, as friends and colleagues of Dan look to raise funds for a prosthetic leg. This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Crosfields winning the BNFL BARLA National Cup. Throughout the season, we will take trips down memory lane to celebrate the achievement and will hold a special re-union day, on Saturday 22nd June 2019. Today, Round Five, Crosfields v Westgate (Wakefield). Our Sponsor Focus today is on Bmech, who have supported the club over a number of years and provide a fantastic service to their customers. Earlier this year Bmech sponsored our Annual Golf Day and are match sponsors today. I thank Rob and his team and all our sponsors, for their continued support. Good luck to everyone involved today. Yours in Sport, Crosfields ARLFC – Next at the Webb Security Recreation Ground Sunday 12th May 2019 10:00 - U11s Vipers v Blackbrook Royal 10:30 - U10s Cobras v Golbourne Parkside 10:30 - U15s v Saddleworth 11:00 - U8s Adders v Latchford Maroons 11:00 - U12s Vipers v Folly Lane 11:30 - U9s v Rochdale 12:00 - U16s v Barrow Saturday 18th May 2019 NWML Division Three 2:30pm Alliance v Culcheth Eagles Saturday 1st June 2019 Kingston Press NCL Division Two 2:30pm Crosfields v Askam Crosfields ARLFC – In My View, by Phil Hodgson MY colleague at League Express, Garry Schofield, referred to one of his playing contemporaries in his column a few weeks ago by his nickname. Schoey was reflecting on the deeds of Jason Robinson – who is, as it happens, another Hunslet lad – and in one passage called him Billy Whizz, the soubriquet bestowed on the player by his adoring Wigan fans. It was a fitting nickname (I suppose most are, when you think about it, otherwise they wouldn’t stick). Not too many seem to be used these days, although I suspect that once I’ve fired this article off to clubs several will drift into my consciousness. It wasn’t always the case. The Northern Union era had several stars who were given nicknames, one of my favourites being Billy Batten’s. The giant centre, who helped Hunslet to All Four Cups glory in 1907-08 before transferring to Hull, who reportedly paid him what was then the huge sum of £14 per week, was known as `The Forceful Youth From Kinsley’ while Harold Wagstaff, under whom Huddersfield emulated Hunslet’s feat in 1914-15, was hailed as `The Prince of Centres’. The fine Leeds winger of the 1930s, Eric Harris, was dubbed `The Toowoomba Ghost’ in homage, as with Batten, to the place from whence he came. Across the Channel the great French fullback Puig Aubert of the 1950s was referred to as `Pipette’ because of his chain-smoking (legend has it that he wore shorts which had pockets in which he kept a packet of cigarettes and a box of matches so he could light up during lulls in play). During that decade, and into the 1960s, Vince Karalius, the awesome Great Britain, St Helens and Widnes loose forward, earned the nickname `The Wild Bull of the Pampas’ while Wigan’s fantastic winger Billy Boston was known as `The Brown Bomber’ although perhaps in this day and age that term couldn’t be used. Wigan, come to think of it, tend to be in the forefront of giving their players affectionate alternative names. Their fine scrum-half of the 1980s, Andy Gregory, was called `Popeye’, his arms being like the cartoon character’s (I assume that was the reason) while Martin Offiah was dubbed `Chariots’ although that obvious nickname was bestowed on him in his Widnes days. Talking of Widnes, the club’s notable capture from Welsh rugby union in the late 1980s, Jonathan Davies, soon became known as `Jiffy’ while, similarly, the wonderful Castleford, Hull KR and Great Britain halfback of the 1960s and 1970s, Roger Millward, was described as `Roger the Dodger’, initially by TV commentator Eddie Waring, who liked to lead the way in such matters. Alan Hardisty, whose presence at Wheldon Road led to Castleford deciding to sell Millward, was known as `Chuck’, incidentally. Another Cas man, Dean Sampson, was called `Diesel’ (something to do with having filled up his dad’s lorry with the wrong fuel!) while, these days, the great Australian hooker Cameron Smith is known as `The Accountant’ because, well, he looks like one. I’m sure readers will already be thinking of many more examples… . Crosfields ARLFC – NCL Sponsors Crosfields ARLFC – Round Eight Saturday 27th April 2019 - Crosfields 16 Barrow Island 26 Storm Hannah made summer rugby a distant memory on Saturday as The Webb Security Recreation ground was battered from start to finish. The Cumbrian visitors Barrow Island dealt with the weather better and hung on to take the two points back north. Coming off the back of a brilliant away win at Beverley confidence was high for the Soap despite losing at home last time out. The script was written for the home team to kick on and push the season forward with positive momentum. All started to plan as a Jack Reid chip to the corner was fumbled to allow Luke Walker to pounce and score the first try of the game after four minutes. The conversion was missed in difficult conditions. The scoreline remained the same for the next 20 minutes as the game settled in to a forwards war of attrition. Barrow were asking a lot of questions of the home defence which finally buckled as a smart break from scrum half Blain Marwood set the tone for the rest of the half. Crosfields were struggling with a high penalty count having to defend multiple back to back sets over the next 15 minutes. Again Scott Turton they were breached as one set too many allowed centre Dan White to stroll in unopposed to extend the visitors lead after 35 minutes. Soap were desperate for the half time whistle but it didn't come soon enough as even more pressure from the visitors saw another simple try conceded on the stroke of half time for a 4-18 deficit with lots of work to do. Crosfields came out in the second half much more fired up and started on the front foot. Luke Walker broke and created good field position for another Jack Reid chip to the corner that was collected and scored by Aaron Holliday to start the fight back after 3 minutes of the second half. Soap looked to kick on from that moment but Barrow were not going to roll over capitalising from an error from a long downfield kick. The resulting scrum stretched Soap out wide with winger Chris Burns happily crossing to stretch what turned out to be an unassailable lead. A drop goal extended that lead and despite a late flurry of action Soap had too much to do to turn this around. Louis Wainwright crashed over after 67 minutes and two minutes later Scott Turton fed Dan Reid to score out wide following a Billy Sheen 40/20 but it wasn't to be Crosfields day as the first half performance of Barrow left a mountain to climb. Sam Hickey Jack Reid took the home man of the match ably assisted by his forwards in particular Tom Brown and Louis Wainwright.. Crosfields ARLFC – Kit Sponsor – Today Team Crosfields ARLFC – Round Nine – First Half Saturday 4th May 2019 - Wigan St Judes 41 Crosfields 30 Crosfields lost to Wigan St Judes for the second time this season, having being knocked out of the Challenge Cup in February. As usual, both teams played some excellent and entertaining rugby league, but Wigan St Judes were more clinical on the day and secured the two points. Crosfields got off to a great start, when Jack Reid kicked the ball dead from the kick off, forcing a drop out.