Stocksbridge RUFC

With 8 wins under their belt at the half way stage of the season, Globe Holidays sponsored Stocksbridge Rugby are well placed to mount a serious challenge for a promotion place in the Counties 4 Yorkshire South competition. Stocksbridge are having their best season for some time, & credit must go to the young player/coach Aaron Kaye along with 'Clock Tower' skipper Andy Beal for the way they are leading their troops. Basement boys Knottingley RUFC could not raise a team this weekend & were forced to forfeit the game & give 

Stocksbridge a 5-point walkover victory. 'we really could have done with a run out' said Beal 'we need to blow some Christmas cobwebs off, & get back on track for our promotion push'. Stocksbridge remain 2nd in the league ladder, with 5 pts between them & their 3rd placed rivals, & travel to Hallamshire RUFC next week, before entertaining Withernsea RUFC at the Coal Pit Lane Arena on 31st January with a 2.15pm kick off. Harrison 'the storm' Norman leads the way with the most tries scored so far this season with 6 touchdowns, whilst the Abbey Vets Man of Steel award for December has been won by youngster Tim Burton for his displays on the field & during practise, with Jake Bevan a close second. The club have benefitted from the influx of promising young players like Burton, Archie Taylor, Oliver O'Keefe, Elliott Shaw, Jack 'big rig' James, Jono Burton & Cole Staley-Howson, along with the experienced front rower Dale Hobson & the return of no nonsense back rower Tommy Spencer as Kaye develops a quality player roster. Meanwhile the club have arranged a charity match to be played at the Coal Pit Lane Arena on 7th Feb against the local fire service with a 2.00pm kick off. All proceeds will be donated in memory of former captain Craig Hollingsworth along with the British Heart Foundation. There are stalls a bar & an evening to look forward to in the clubhouse. 

For all the good news coming out of the club, they will have to find a way of overturning the league leaders Maltby RUFC, when they visit towards the end of the season, this may well turn into a winner takes all fixture.

Written by Andrew Tyers, safely back from down under.