ON FRIDAY, August 25, the GSC Grays and Genus Agricultural Industry XV took on Wensleydale Rugby Club 1st XV in a pre-season friendly to raise funds for the new Sir Robert Ogden cancer unit at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton.

Now in it’s fifth year, the game was well attended by supporters who were treated to an entertaining – and hard-fought – game of rugby which ended 26-14 to the visitors.

The GSC Grays/Genus team scored four tries – one each from Danny Smith (man of the match), Colin Lucas, Rob Bellerby and Sam Taylor – and a conversion from Colin Lucas plus two from Robin Kitchin, while Wensleydale racked up points from an unconverted try for George Pearson and three penalty conversions from Jack Raynard.

The game was fiercely contested but played in good spirits which continued with a pie and a pint or two in the fantastic new club house at Wensleydale. A charity auction followed and this, together with the generosity of the supporters on the night alone, raised over £1,500.

Thanks must go to the various sponsors of the event who advertised in the match programme, together with the main sponsors of the event, Hewitson Group, a family-run business from Teesside which has close ties to this cause as they are involved in the construction of the new cancer unit. Henry Hewitson also plays for Wensleydale.

With the generosity of the sponsors, supporters and further online donations, the GSC Grays/Genus rugby match has raised £5,350 for the Sir Robert Ogden centre, a specialist cancer unit at Northallerton, which will benefit many in the local community.