NATIONALS 1&2
GRATEFUL HAWKS Henley Hawks said a big ‘thank you’ to members of their Ambassadors Club at a special dinner. Fifty people signed up three years ago as fundraisers and the function marked the launch of another three-year programme starting next July.
The ambassadors are chaired by Mike Trethewey, a former club chairman, and the cash they accrue supports all the Two South club’s teams, the Hawks, Bulls and Vikings as well as the women’s and junior sections.
MAKIN MEMORIES The first meeting of hosts Bournville and Hull Ionians will be long remembered for a couple of reasons. It marked the 300th first-team appearance of Ionians and ex-England Counties captain and lock Joe Makin in his 13th season with the club.
Not only that, he scored one of his side’s eight tries in a spectacular Two North match in which Ionians made an astonishing comeback to win 46-43 after trailing 38-12 at half-time.
MORE MILESTONES Neighbours Hull can field five players with 100-plus matches behind them, including prop Mike Jobling, who reached 150 when his side won 17-11 at Tynedale. He said: “Hopefully one of us will break Gary Martinson’s appearance record and get the big 300 up.” Skipper Ali Heard, with 177 games at the last count, is closest.
It was also landmark time for Rams and ex-Richmond wing Jak Rossiter and back-row Josh Collis in the 29-23 defeat at Darlington Mowden Park. Rossiter, the club’s seventh highest try-scorer with 54, made his 100th senior appearance while Collis, ex-Henley Hawks, played in his 50th game.
TON-UP FOR TOM Fylde hooker Ben Gregory and full-back Tom Carleton, both 23, chalked up a century of games in the 40-20 victory in Two North at Blaydon.
Carleton, the son of John, the former England and Lions wing, had scored 73 tries and was on a remarkable unbroken sequence of 98 National League matches.
Down at Esher, of Two South, wing Tom James joined the ‘ton up appearance club’ and centre Matt Hema, a New Zealander, did likewise for Cambridge in the 22-22 draw with Caldy in National One.
SHORT PASS
president Bob Reynolds loves the spirit within the Raiders squad as they fly high in Two South. He travelled with the players to
