The Scimitar 4 Sep 2018

4th September 20185th September 2018
by Glenda Todd

BNSC NEWSLETTER

A fine and fresh good morning to everyone…

Despite the calendar showing me that it is early in September…there is still a decided chill around…I saw the throngs of people descending on the public pool on Saturday…and was pretty convinced that I definitely wasn’t going to be the first to break the “ice” there…that said…the weather is very reasonable during the day but as the sun slips it’s head behind the clouds or buildings…it is time to run for some warm covering…whether it be a jacket, jersey or track top….but the weatherman reliably predicts that every day is going to warm up till the weekend….a bit cooler on Saturday and Sunday…warming up again for a while….we’ll have to analyse and report back by next week and see if those buggers were correct or not…

Friday night was a great festive evening….and it took Andrew Hartley a trip all the way to the UK and back, to finally get his name drawn from the beeeeg black box…..but his fortune at selecting the Joker was as good as everyone else thus far in this draw…. he did manage find the Jack of Diamonds though…so one less to choose from now….and with the carry over it means that we escalate a little more this week…we’re up to R72017 for this week…and with birthday boy Ryno back this week to strum his guitar…it promises to be another crackerjack of a start to the weekend….please join us…

I was fortunate to be up at the Club on Saturday…to watch our Soccer boys at home against the traditionally tough opponents from the South of Joburg…Robertsham….the second side got back to winning ways with a positive result and a 2-1 victory…that now leaves us three points ahead of second placed Luso, who have a game in hand….which will be played against the unpredictable Kempton side….so I am sure that all the Northerns faithful will be rooting for Kempton to upset the Luso applecart this weekend…in any event the last game of the season will be played between the top two sides and of course a positive result for us…or even a draw should be sufficient to suffice….however, I am sure that Fish and his boys only have one result on their minds and that is to bring home the trophy with a solid win in front of the partisan Northerns crowd…..For me, the real fun of Saturday was kept the final 45 minutes of the first teams match…considering that we were dominating possession and territory…it was a huge surprise for our boys to come in at half time one goal behind….but I think that possibly a little tongue lashing from Jannie got the boys to remove the cobwebs off their scoring boots….and the second half was a rout…one…two….three…four!!! And they still weren’t done as the thrashed home the fifth shortly before the referee’s final whistle brought an end the Robertsham nightmare….that makes it seven in a row for the first side and has leap-frogged their opponents on the day into fourth place in the league….a phenomenal set of results for the boys as two months ago they were languishing on the lower half of the league…so an extraordinary change in fortunes for Jannie and his young charges….well done boys….I was most impressed with your never say die attitude…and you definitely taught them a lesson in the second half….both our sides have bye this weekend….and with only one game left in the league fixtures, which will be played next weekend at the North, we need all of our supporters to come out in force to support the boys against Luso (another rough and tough time for us all)…the second side to see if we can clinch the league and to push the first side to a complete the finishing straight with eight wins in a row….

With the second side also involved in the Cup semi-finals against Luso at Bedfordview on Thursday night…means that there will be no relaxation for these boys this week….all the best…keep an eye on all the social media platforms for notices on the fixture…I’m sure there will be a show of force by our supporters as this even….give it your best boys….

And for the final word on Soccer from last weekend…our Colts came up against the Wynberg Tigers, who they beat comprehensively in their previous encounter 7-3….in this match they achieved the same number of goals scored….but this time their defence held firm and didn’t allow the opposition to score even a solitary goal…a great result for the boys…and now a new contender has emerged from the pack behind us, and come to challenge our top of the log status, arrives at the North in the form of Emmerentia….who have a solid record this season….could I request that our soccer supporters come and watch that the future of the North is in good hand with these young men…Kick off will be at 15h30 on Sunday afternoon….

We are hosting the Local Easterns Cup- Finals this Saturday at the North…with our very own Fourth Side kicking off proceedings at 09h00….there will be finals every two hours thereafter…so it promises to be a great day with some quality football…come along to support our boys and stay the day to watch all the other thrilling matches….

The hockey girls completed their season on Saturday….and the North played host to their post match party performances and shenanigans….. all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas of fun were the order of the day (some more successful than others)…and with a fancy dress occasion seeming to be the order of the day…it was an afternoon of hilarious consequences…singing silly songs….dancing on the ceilings…. whilst drinking some absolutely ghastly looking concoctions….the girls partied on late into the afternoon…..if their party skill are anything like their hockey skills….we have potential national players in the making….

On Saturday at 13h00 our men’s first side will play their last match of the season against Wanderers at St Dunstans Astro….and will be most appreciative of any support we can give them….. Perhaps we can meet at the North for a few light refreshments and then go down en masse to support the boys…should be a cracker…see you there!!! The senior Northerns hockey prize giving will be held in the beer garden on Sunday preceded by the normal “crunch” prize giving matches between some of the traditional rival sides… it promises to be another festive day of fun for our Members….join us early for this one too…

Our Runners were also busy last weekend with their start up to the season…they held their annual Spring run was a massive success…they even collared the Main Club Chairman, Lockey Brown, into joining their drinking festivities….and he was only minding his own business on his own little 5k fun run in the morning…so it appears that they have some Members that are most convincing and sufficiently influential to get Lockey to alter his usual route to include a massive watering hole of all sorts of liquid refreshments that are not normally associated with a serious run…but all reports have indicated that the day was enjoyed by all…even those seconded at the last minute say it was a blast!!….

Although it isn’t cricket season….the cricketers began their preparation at the Titans Franchise T20 last weekend….and despite not having some of the big names from last year available….the boys played wonderful cricket and came home with the trophy….this was a really promising start to the season…as we beat some quality opposition throughout the weekend….great stuff boys…..you have set the bar very high right at the start of the season already….lets ensure that we keep this momentum going….and that I got coerced into your fines meeting is something that I haven’t had to do for a while!! But well done…I can see that you were all most impressed with the skills displayed over the weekend…

Next Saturday we are going to be having the Beer Mile being run again….this promises to be an afternoon of fun and laughter….there will be a bit of exercise….but with it some beer drinking too….so this is the ideal challenge for all of our Members….we are all sportsmen /women who enjoy a pot or two…this will be the opportunity to complete and compete in both on one afternoon…..please refer to the flyer in the Scimitar and enter using the links indicated. We will be having music during the event, followed by live music for your enjoyment…..

Our Baseball Major ‘B’ Wichita ended off a marvellous season and are the Champions for 2018….that is fantastic news….well done to Manager Shaun and Coach Tyron…..with best batter for the season going to Jacques Groenewald while we also boasted the best pitcher, being Alex Howden….a great set of results…I’m sure that victory was celebrated late into the night if their management team had anything to do with proceedings!!

I hope that you’ll excuse this being a little longer than normal….but there was just so much to news at the North as we get to the end of the winter season….We’re in for another busy weekend, so goodbye to you all..I’ll hopefully get to see you all at the Club… (Let me know if we’re doing things to your satisfaction or not, by sending an email to me at rod.scheepers@gmail.com) take care…

Cheers

Rod