Local Sport
19th September 2019
Issue 1079
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STEELS GROUNDSMAN PICKS UP AWARD STOCKSBRIDGE Park Steels groundsman Mick Grimmer has won the Northern Premier League groundsman of the year trophy. Mick was recently presented the prize at the FA awards ceremony at St Georges Park England training centre. And Mick said he’d like to give special thanks to his assistant, Barrie Gosling. The Football Association’s (FA) Groundsperson of the Year Awards is a nationwide competition for nonleague football groundsman with
2018 representing the 17th time that these awards have taken place. The Awards recognise the contribution of Groundspeople, these ‘unsung heroes’, who work in all weather, often as volunteers, all year round, to make sure that thousands of matches can take place on a high standard of playing surface and with a very limited budget. The FA has a panel of judges - professional groundspeople themselves, who look at the quality of the pitch while also taking into consideration the skills and knowledge of the
Penistone pair complete 62 mile challenge
TWO hardy Penistone runners, Sarah Walch and Dean Allcroft, took on the challenge of the Hardmoors 60 which is a 62 mile race on the coast from Guisborough to Filey. Dean completed the challenge in 14 hours and 40 minutes whilst Sarah took 15 hours and 2 minutes. There was success for Penistone at the Vale of York half marathon including two runners inside the top 10. Gareth Cooke was first back for the club in fifth position in a time of 1-1145 which equalled his own club record.
Gary Briscoe was next in 8th place overall in a time of 1-1404 which guaranteed him a place in the London Marathon. Faye Williams also broke the club over-45 women’s record in a time of 1-38-51.
Despite being halted for 20 seconds by a farmer taking his herd of cows across the road Andrew Heppenstall won the undulating Shepley 10k in 37-19. Veteran Martin Ball finished in fourth place and also took first over-40 men’s prize. Further afield and in sunnier climbs Lesley Parker and Daren Nockels took on the La Trappa mountain race in Majorca. The 12.5 mile race was run in temperatures of 30 degrees and the first eight miles was uphill. Lesley claimed second place in the ladies over40 category in 2-22. Daren finished inside the top 50 in a time of 2-05. At the Yorkshire Downhill Time Trial, Penistone junior Tom Fryers demonstrated his excellent descending skills claiming fifth place ahead of club mate Jon Waller.
Stocksbridge slip up in league opener STOCKSBRIDGE Rugby slipped to a home defeat at the hands of visitors York RI at Coal Pit Lane on Saturday in their opening league fixture.
Bowskills range, and he judged the Bolsterstone wind well to nail the three points to get Stocksbridge up and running for the season.
This unexpected reverse has lead to Head Coach Rhys Keenan issuing an urgent wake up call to his troops.
Unfortunately, that was about as good as it got for the home side for the next 30 minutes or so as the visitors ran in three more tries to claim a try bonus point before the interval and effectively seal the result.
Selecting from an almost full strength rosta, Keenan had the luxury of Sam Whitaker, Liam O’Leary and himself on the bench to add to his options. An excellent opening spell from the home side saw the pack rumble down the slope, with Beal and back rowers Aspin and skipper Rowett leading the charges. A cleverly weighted pass from Woodcock, cutting out three players left Rowett with an opportunity, however, the chance was missed.
Stocksbridge weren’t helped when the luckless Ricky James succumbed to another hamstring injury and jet-heeled wing Ryan Smith also left the field with a shoulder injury to be replaced by the promising young flyer Connor Price. Keenan vented his fury at the break and demanded a reaction to a sluggish first half display, which ended 24-3 to York.
Bowskill created an overlap but kicked possession away, as did Frith when the running option was clearly proving more beneficial to the dominant Pigs pack.
In the second half, Stocksbridge looked like a totally different side, Keenan and Whitaker bringing some aggression and direction to the team, with the rest of the squad responded in positive fashion.
The visitors escaped with their try line intact and from almost their first attacking play, scored under the posts to take the lead. Mainly thanks to some paper thin Stocksbridge defence. York conceded a penalty for a ruck infringement within
Frith linked well with the forwards to set Jack Spencer and the ever-willing Ben Westby off on a winding run, that eventually worked its way back to skipper Ricky Rowett to plunge over from close range and Frith slotted the extras. Almost im-
mediately the forwards continued their momentum and drove deep into their opponents’ territory and Frith claimed a poachers try on the back of it to bring Stocksbridge right back into the contest. A moment of madness by veteran winger Joe Jones who ran around a stationary ball, when a size 11 boot would have been sufficient, gifted the visitors a soft try to wrap up the game with maximum points, leaving the defiant home side to rue their first half performance with the final score Stocksbridge Rugby 15-21 York RI. There were several decent individual performances for the home team with second row men Whitaker and Beal running hard-working back rower Rees Aspin close for the Bradfield Brewery Man of the Match award. Rees is sponsored by Mr Gez & Mrs Sue Aspin. “Too many errors and gifted tries,” was coach Keenan’s assessment of his charges afterwards, adding, “We just gave away possession too easily and must fix this up in training this week.” Stocksbridge travel to Wakefield to play Stanley Rodensians in round two of the league competition, and will be hoping to get back on track with a win on the road.
groundsperson, their ambitions for the pitch, the resources available, how often the pitch is used, and the amount of time they are able to work on the pitch. All the award winners, runners-up and highly commended groundsmen for 2018/19 season were invited to an awards day at St Georges Park in August which included presentations from Karl Standley – Wembley head groundsman and Scott Brooks – head of grounds and estate St George’s Park.
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