The Darlo fixture is really bad news for all kinds of reasons. Stabs had no choice but to contact our opponents because, while we have a surfeit of forwards, we are well stuffed in the three quarters. Davy Tighe is out with an ankle injury, neither Thompson has been able to train this week because of knocks, and Allan Milne has taken a bad knock on the same spot on the arm he broke last year. Stabs himself has agreed to be a Godfather at a christening in Norway.

He asked Darlington if we could play a week on Tuesday under their lights but they could not, or would not, accommodate the request. This rankles a little bit because we agreed to a postponement of the County Cup game between the two clubs last season because of "the Queen Mother's funeral."

When it was played the formerly injured Lee brothers were able to play and we were well beaten.

Poor old Westoe might feel a little aggrieved as our game at Hollow Drift last week now appears to have been worthless. But Westoe had issues themselves with Darlington last season over cup matches and players getting time off work so let's hope they understand.

As for the Tippit!! After last week's protracted, dramatic, nip and tuck, strong words, and an agreement not to agree this week's sequel was a damp squib.

West Worker Ron Greig won the toss and we never looked back. We won the first game to nil, took the worker to worker, and then won the toss to go first in the second game. We cruised that one too but they got the piece on worker to worker. Sensationally Les Smith fetched the piece at the first time of asking and we will now host the Boxing Day game this year and visit Rovers in 2003.

The second game might not have reached the heights of the first game but Bossa, Shirley and John were great opponents and had absolutely no luck at all in the game.

We sincerely look forward to celebrating Xmas with them in the time honoured fashion.

At the same time we hope they understand that, despite calls for a home and away fixture each season, the Nathan Painter Memorial Game against Tech is very important and will take place over the Easter holiday.