Baildon bidding to spike Rishworthians' perfect record (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Baildon bidding to spike Rishworthians' perfect record

6:10pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in Sport By Bill Marshall, T&A Sports Reporter

After celebrating their centenary with a dinner last Saturday, where the guests included former Bradford Bulls and England RU player Henry Paul and ex-England cricket captain Brian Close, Baildon welcome another special guest on Saturday.

Yorkshire RFU president Steve Watson is coming from Huill to watch their SSE Yorkshire Division Three match against leaders Old Rishworthians.

Baildon's rugby chairman Andy Whitley says: "With just three weekends completed in our division, early indications are that Yorkshire Three will be very tightly contested.

"Only Old Modernians and Saturday's visitors are unbeaten, and with Goole apparently not as strong as they were a couple of seasons ago, I would hazard a guess that it will be nip and tuck all season, with the possibility of up to six clubs vying for the two available promotion places.

"Last season's encounters between ourselves and Rish were close affairs. While honours were even in the league, we managed to beat them for a second time towards the end of last season on our way to winning the Yorkshire Silver Trophy.

"With our visitors wanting to maintain their place at the top of the division and ourselves wanting to make up lost ground after last week's defeat to Rotherham Phoenix, Saturday's game should be quite interesting."

Nicky and Hayden Lister are absent as they are attending their dad's wedding and Matt Atkinson is out through illness. Other than that Baildon are at full strength.

Baildon (home to Old Rishworthians): JJ O'Connell; M Robinson, J Huss, A Patchett, R Kingham; J Duxbury, J Dawson; A Hewitt, S Emmitt, P Lowth, A Pollard, A Beaumont, T Craven, C Woodhall, D Pollard. Replacements: D Tabiner, G Price, A Magee, M Dracup, B Newton.