It was 129 years ago today, the first-ever series of fixtures was played in the English Football League.

But how much of a footie fan are you? Try our quiz and provide your matchday mettle.

Daventry Masonic Centre will be opening its doors to the public as part of the annual Heritage Open Days event.

The centre, in High Street, opens its doors from 11am and 4pm today (Friday) and then on September 8, 9 and 10.

Apart from taking part in the Heritage event to give the local public a chance to have a guided tour of the lodge rooms and view an exhibition and video giving information on Freemasonry, worldwide, nationally and locally, this also is part of a celebration of the 300th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of England.

Mike Sheppard said: “Although Freemasonry’s origins are not clear, possibly back to the medieval stonemasons who built many of our great cathedrals, 2017 is also the 300th anniversary of the Grand Lodge of England.

“Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations - Worldwide there are over 6 million members, who come from all walks of life and meet as equals whatever their faith, ethnic group or position in society.

For many, this spirit of fellowship is what is valued most, whilst making new friends, helping others, following a family tradition and participating in the ceremonial are also important.

“Charity is at the heart of the organisation, but Freemasonry does not undertake any external fundraising, all money donated comes from voluntary donations and through our own efforts. Contributions of over £33 million a year means we are one of the UK`s largest charitable givers, supporting individual members, local communities and global emergencies.”

Within England & Wales there are over 6000 lodges, located within 47 Provinces, which are based on the old County lines. Daventry is in the Province of ‘Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire’, which today contains 93 lodges, meeting at 24 Masonic Centres and consisting of over 3,500 Masons. The first record of a Lodge in Northamptonshire is in 1730 - the George and Dragon Lodge No 62 - but the Province of Northamptonshire was not formed officially until 1798, when George Fermor, 3rd Earl of Pomfret, became it’s first Provincial Grand Master, (the same year that the country celebrated Rear Admiral Nelson’s victory over the French Fleet at the Battle of the Nile).

“Freemasonry kept growing and demand forced Masonry to spread to Daventry in 1891 when Beneventa lodge was consecrated and which met at the Weatsheaf hotel at the top of Sheaf St (now a residential care home) - prior to this, Daventry Masons had to ride or walk to lodges in Towcester or Northampton,” added Mike.

“Freemasonry’s growth continued and when in 1973 the ‘Working Men’s Club’ moved to new premises where Homebase and Halfords now stand, the lodges took out a mortgage and purchased the building at their present masonic halls in the High Street.”

He added: “At Daventry Masonic Centre we have over 250 brethren, meeting in five lodges.

“We look forward to imparting a little knowledge to the people of Daventry about the aims of Freemasonry and some of its achievements - both locally and further afield - in recent years Daventry Masons have donated over £34,000 to many local charities and good causes (see attached page).

“Many Daventry public are unaware even that there is a Masonic centre in Daventry, or what good works they do - we welcome the opportunity to change this and to dispel some of the myths and wild accusations made of this ancient society.”

The hall is at 14 High St, Daventry NN11 4HT.

With gender stereotypes at home and a glass ceiling in the boardroom, it seems that a battle of the sexes also exists in the classroom.

It seems that children aged between 7 and 15 still follow the gender divide. The survey from Mintel showed that while boys aged 7-15 in the UK prefer maths and science, girls of the same age favour arts and humanities subjects.

Asked which three subjects they most enjoyed at school, 49% of boys aged between 7-15 said that IT/computing was among their favourite subjects, followed by 47% who favoured sport/PE and 41% who liked maths.

For girls, however, 43% said that art was one of their favourite subjects on the timetable, followed by English (32%) and music (23%).

Looking ahead to life beyond school,there also seems to be a clear boy/girl divide when it comes to kids’ views of certain career paths. 44% of the children surveyed saidy that being a plumber/builder/electrician was “for boys”, while just 5% regarded it as a job “for girls”.

However, at least some science-related professions were viewed equally - becoming a doctor was associated as much as“for boys” as “for girls” (17% respectively). Although when it comes to teaching, the stereotypes re-emerge, with one in five children (19%) viewing teaching as a job “for girls”, compared to 16% who said the profession was “for boys”.

Jack Duckett, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst at Mintel, said:

“While the UK has taken huge steps in terms of equality over the last 50 years, gender stereotypes remain apparent among today’s children and teens, as shown by their continued belief that certain subjects and professions are more suited to one gender or the other.

“As gender equality becomes an increasingly pressing issue for businesses and society alike, there are opportunities for brands to create campaigns that openly challenge these stereotypes at a young age, helping to drive further improvements in gender equality for the future.”

Rob Horne will make his Saints debut against Leicester Tigers at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday (kick-off 4.30pm).

Horne, who scored during an impressive 40 minutes for the Wanderers at Sale Jets on Monday night, lines up at 13, alongside Luther Burrell.

George North, another man who was on Wanderers duty earlier in the week, also gets a place in the first 15 as he takes the No.14 shirt.

There are no further changes to the back line that started last Saturday's 55-24 defeat to Saracens, with Tom Collins fit enough to start on the other wing.

South Africa scrum-half Cobus Reinach will hope to make his Saints bow from the bench.

In the pack, Courtney Lawes moves to six with Tom Wood missing out after taking a bang to the shoulder in training.

Lawes is part of a whole new back row, with Jamie Gibson replacing Lewis Ludlam at seven and Teimana Harrison coming in for ankle sprain victim Mitch Eadie.

Michael Paterson takes Lawes' place in the second row.

Leicester, who lost 27-23 at home to Bath last Sunday, have been forced to make a change at centre, with the injured Manu Tuilagi replaced by Matt Smith.

Dan Cole comes in at tighthead, with Logovi'i Mulipola dropping to the bench.

Saints: Tuala; North, Horne, Burrell, Collins; Mallinder, Groom; Waller, Hartley (c), Brookes; Paterson, Day; Lawes, Gibson, Harrison.

Replacements: Haywood, Ma'afu, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Ludlam, Reinach, Grayson, Foden.

Leicester Tigers: Veainu; Malouf, Smith, Toomua, May; Ford, B Youngs; Genge, T Youngs (c), Cole; Barrow, Kitchener; Hamilton, O'Connor, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Thacker, Bateman, Mulipola, Williams, Ryan, Harrison, Ford, Tait.

Fixture: Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers

Competition: Aviva Premiership - round two

Venue: Franklin's Gardens, Northampton

Date: Saturday, September 9, 2017

Kick-off time: 4.30pm

Television coverage: BT Sport 3

Saints: Tuala; North, Horne, Burrell, Collins; Mallinder, Groom; Waller, Hartley (c), Brookes; Paterson, Day; Lawes, Gibson, Harrison.

Replacements: Haywood, Ma'afu, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Ludlam, Reinach, Grayson, Foden.

Leicester Tigers: Veainu; Malouf, Smith, Toomua, May; Ford, B Youngs; Genge, T Youngs (c), Cole; Barrow, Kitchener; Hamilton, O'Connor, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Thacker, Bateman, Mulipola, Williams, Ryan, Harrison, Ford, Tait.

Outs: Saints: Piers Francis (jaw), Stephen Myler (knee), Mitch Eadie (ankle), Tom Wood (shoulder), David Ribbans (unknown)

Referee: JP Doyle (134th Premiership game)

Most recent meeting: Saturday, March 25, 2017: Saints 31 Leicester Tigers 36 (Aviva Premiership)

Tom's preview: "We don't want them to forget it."

Those are the words of Saints attack coach Alan Dickens, who attended this week's media day at Franklin's Gardens.

He was speaking about his players and the need for them to bottle up what happened at Twickenham last Saturday.

He wants them to hold onto the hurt they felt after shipping seven tries in the first half of the 55-24 Aviva Premiership opening-day evisceration against Saracens.

And he wants them to release it by piling into traditional rivals Leicester Tigers on Saturday.

The Tigers, too, will be hurting.

They began their season with a 27-23 loss on home soil against Bath last Sunday.

But Saints' defeat was far more humiliating, far more embarrassing and far more painful.

Now they are tasked with avoiding a repeat against a club who have won the past seven east midlands derbies.

But Saints have been acutely aware that talk is cheap this week.

They know the only way to prove the Saracens game wasn't a sign of things to come is to beat Tigers this weekend.

They need to summon all of the spirit of memorable derby day wins of years gone by.

Several members of the current squad were involved the last time a Northampton team toppled Leicester.

That win came in December, 2014, with Saints showing incredible fighting spirit after Dylan Hartley's first-half sending off.

And they will need no less 'blood and guts', as Tom Wood described it this week, at the Gardens on Saturday.

How they would love a strong start in this crucial derby.

The last thing they need is Tigers to strike early, adding to the pressure that will already be on the shoulders of the home players.

Saints need to come out of the blocks quickly and continue to build towards what would be a big victory.

It is extremely early in the season to be talking about must-win matches, but there is no doubt this is vital for Jim Mallinder's men.

They need to kick their campaign into life ahead of another home game, against Bath, next Friday.

And they desperately need to give their supporters something to cheer.

Many fans were left feeling shame after last Saturday's shocking showing.

And although Saints scored three times against Saracens in the second half, it was no real consolation.

The only consolation will be if Saints can use their humbling Twickenham experience to take down Tigers in what is set to be a fraught fixture at Franklin's Gardens this weekend.

Tom's prediction: Saints 25 Leicester 22

Fixture: Northampton Town v Doncaster Rovers, Sky Bet League One

Date/time: Saturday, September 9, 3pm kick-off

Venue: Sixfields Stadium, Northampton

Forecast: 16c, showers

Outs and doubts: Cobblers: John-Joe O’Toole (groin), Aaron Phillips (thigh), Sam Foley (knee), Sam Hoskins (knee). Doncaster: Mathieu Baudry (Achilles), Luke McCullough (knee), Danny Andrew (knee)

Possible line-ups: Cobblers (4-3-3): Ingram; Moloney, Pierre, Barnett, Buchanan; Crooks, Grimes, McWilliams; Waters, Revell, Powell. Doncaster (4-4-2): Lawlor; Butler, Mason, Wright, Garrett; Rowe, Whiteman, Blair, Coppinger; Marquis, May

Betting: Northampton 2/1, draw 12/5, Doncaster 13/10

Form guide: Cobblers DLLLL, Rovers: DDLWDW

Man in the middle: Darren Handley

Last time out: Northampton 1 (Revell) Cambridge United 1; Doncaster 0 Peterborough 0

Most recent meeting: December 26, 2007: Doncaster Rovers 2 (McCammon, Lockwood) Cobblers 0

Record v Doncaster: P47 W17 D10 L20

Doncaster connection: There are a couple of ex-Cobblers expected to be the Doncaster line-up tomorrow. Matty Blair, who was on loan at Sixfields for a couple of months in 2014, will be in midfield, while John Marquis will lead the line. The former Millwall man had two successful and significant loan periods with the Cobblers, both under Chris Wilder. His first spell saw him play a vital role in the Cobblers avoiding relegation, scoring key goals as they stayed up, and he was then brought in to help Town get over the line in their title-winning season in 2016. In all, Marquis scored eight times for Town, and would have jumped at the chance to sign for the club permanently, but following Wilder’s departure, he was not in Rob Page’s plans as the Welshman instead signed Alex Revell. Doncaster stepped in and he has been a reveleation at the Keepmoat, scoring 26 goals as the south Yorkshire side were promoted last season.

Opposition view: Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson: “We’ll probably set our lads up against two or three formations and what we need to do with and without the ball. I can’t go on about the opposition because we could prepare one thing and they do another.

“We just have to touch on the more important things. It’s a slightly different week where it’s not as simple as normal when you know what the opposition do. I think it’s an important one for us because we need to get back to winning ways.”

Jeremy Casey’s preview: ‘I bloody hope so...’ That was new Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s pretty blunt reaction when I asked him if the players would have a spring in their step in training this week.

In truth, every single member of the squad shouldn’t just have a spring in their step, they should be jumping through hoops, straining every sinew to make an impression.

I know players should always try their best every day, and I am sure they do, but there’s nothing quite like a new manager at a club to sharpen the focus, to inspire people to find that little bit extra.

And that’s because it’s now a clean slate.

There will have been no pre-judging from Hasselbaink as he took training at Moulton, preparing to get his team together for the visit of Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

He and new assistant Dean Austin will have made their judgements on what they have seen out on the training pitch.

Players who may have been out of the picture under Justin Edinburgh, who was sacked last Thursday after just four league matches into the season, know they might now get a sniff of a start.

And those who have been regulars so far this term will suddenly be looking over their shoulder, concerned their place in the team might be under threat.

It’s called competition, and it’s healthy.

Indeed, it’s reminiscent of those old trials to get into the school team, and I bet it has led to a few lively sessions!!

That being the case, trying to work out a starting line up to face Donny is little more than guesswork.

Hasselbaink did hint at Tuesday’s press conference that he will want to ensure the team is solid, which suggests he could flood the midfield.

And if he does that, he’ll have plenty of options, as Town have got a lot of midfielders.

Hasselbaink also pledged to try and get the team playing attacking football, so could it be he’ll go for 4-3-3, with the wide men tasked with strict defensive duties when required.

As I say, it’s total guess work, and only Hasselbaink knows what he will do.

For what it’s worth, here’s my guess at the team, with Matt Ingram going straight into the line-up as goalkeeper, as neither David Cornell or Luke Coddington have looked entirely convincing.

My back four would be Moloney, Barnett, Pierre and Buchanan The midfield three would be Shaun McWilliams, Matt Crooks and Matt Grimes, with a front three of Billy Walters, Alex Revell and Daniel Powell.

But who knows? There will be plenty of guessing going on ahead by the time the teamsheet is released on Saturday, but regardless of which 11 will take to the field, we will surely see an improved Cobblers performance, and one with more attacking intent.

But it is not going to be an easy afternoon for the Cobblers or Hasselbaink.

Doncaster are going to be resilient opponents, we know that already from the fact they have lost just one of their opening five league one fixtures following their promotion last season.

Darren Ferguson is a manager who knows what he is doing, and is somebody with a proven track record, and he will have his team ready for whatever Hasselbaink and the Cobblers throw at him.

Saturday also sees a return to Sixfields for John Marquis, and he is sure to get a warm reception from the Cobblers supporters, many of whom wish he was still running out in the claret and white.

The player was keen on a move to Sixfields after two loan spells with the club, but he wasn’t on then manager Rob Page’s radar and Town’s loss has been Donny’s gain.

The former Millwall man has netted an impressive 28 goals in 55 appearances for the south Yorkshire outift since joining them last summer, and he is sure to give whoever lines up at the heart of the Cobblers defence a torrid afternoon.

Another key man for Doncaster will be the evergreen James Coppinger, who may now be 36, but is still a creative force.

All that said, Hasselbaink has promised to try and put the smiles back on the faces of people around Sixfields.

Of course, a first win of the season would be the best way to do that, but so would a more committed, exciting and attacking performance, regardeless of the result.

Prediction: Cobblers 1 Doncaster 1

The County clinched a superb six-wicket win against their promotion rivals on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash.

Richard Levi's unbeaten 54 saw Northants home on 140 for four after they had finally dismissed Sussex for 393 at the County Ground.

The victory moved Northants up to third in the table, 36 points behind second-placed Worcestershire with a game in hand.

And head coach Ripley said: “I think we played really well against a good side playing some good cricket.

"Sussex had the best of conditions bowling on the first day when it was very overcast, and it was the quality of our batting to get us a good score.

"Then for our bowling to chip away on the second day was excellent.

“We’ve been looking to improve our batting. We’ve got the talent there, it’s just the collective desire to grind our those points sometimes.

"So over four days it’s as good as we’ve played all season.”

From the moment I stepped aboard the Saga Sapphire, I began to realise that I've probably not given cruising holidays a proper chance.

Having previously experienced a week-long cruise aboard a 16 deck ocean giant – accompanied by more than 3,200 mainly greedy, wasteful and often rowdy passengers – when Saga Travel's delightful PR Manager Naomi Thornton promised me that their ships were nothing like that, my wife and I agreed to give cruising another go.

Saga themselves have been sending me advertising literature for holidays, car and household insurances since I reached the age of 50 and, I must admit, that like most unsolicited mail, it's ended up in the recycling bin.

But now, a full two decades later, I've begun to realise just what I've been missing. Catering exclusively for over-50s on a much smaller ship, my five night 'Bank Holiday Escape' cruise across the English Channel to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany was a truly memorable one.

The holiday actually started as soon as we were collected from home in a brand new chauffeur driven Mercedes Benz. Then arriving refreshed some three hours later at the cruise terminal in Dover, it's just part of Saga's impressive, no-nonsense attention to detail.

There were plenty of porters on hand once we arrived while check-in was made very easy, Saga's on-shore staff being super efficient with most appearing to be of pensionable age!

Entering the ship's reception area on deck 7, there is a striking metallic fish sculpture – supposedly they're herrings – one of which has a secret red eye, although you need to go down a deck to find it.

We were checked into spacious outside cabin (number 9026) on deck 9, the accommodation being all that you would expect from a comfortable luxury hotel. There's storage aplenty while Hazel, our pretty Filipino maid, ensured that we had everything we needed… including a full fruit bowl.

Once onboard we quickly learned the Sapphire's layout and the whereabouts of various restaurants, shops, bars and lounges. Overall it's an extremely comfortable and immaculately clean ship, the spacious Britannia Lounge doubling as a theatre… but more of that later.

FOOD AND DRINK

With 50 chefs and 20 auxiliary staff under the watchful eye of executive chef, Cornishman George Streeter, attention to detail in the ship's menu preparation is truly amazing.

"I've been with Saga for 15 years," said George. "We're very proud of the quality of the food that we prepare and our guests appreciate it. Overall we produce around 3,000 meals a day and with all the cakes, snacks and late night bites, we're always kept pretty busy."

Naturally the Sapphire offers a traditional Sunday roast while sweets like bread and butter pudding also find their way onto what is always a very extensive menu.

And if you fancy a minute steak for breakfast – as one particular passenger did on most days! – it's provided without extra charge. The wine certainly flows freely at both lunch and dinner with a choice of quality reds and whites or a delicious rosé.

The main Pole To Pole restaurant on deck 7 can seat around 600 diners, two sides having ocean views, while there are four themed areas featuring four continents: Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

It's fine dining at its very best with some wonderful menus and choices to suit every pallet. Saga's chefs also cater for both vegetarians and vegans while you can also chose your seating arrangements as there is both buffet or full service dining at pre-reserved tables.

In the 64-seater East to West Restaurant on deck 9, you'll enjoy a fusion of true Asian cuisine; Indian, Thai and spicy Sri Lankan. All is freshly cooked while traditional wooden Balinese-style carvings adorn the restaurant giving it a truly authentic feel.

We also loved the Grill Bar and open-air Verandah on deck 9 which offered healthier grilled meat dishes cooked to order in what is a show kitchen, the former specialising in some wonderful tasty steaks and really fresh seafood.

Located adjacent to the Sapphire's outdoor swimming pool is the Beach Club which offers traditional fish and chip lunches. You can also help yourself to ice creams from a cabin resembling a striped beach hut while in an adjacent one, you find dozens of old-fashioned boiled sweet jars… and with no children on board, you really don't feel guilty about helping yourself!

As the health and wellbeing of everyone onboard is of paramount importance, at every doorway you find a hand sanitizer machine. Most are manned by a staff member to remind all passengers to use them before entering the restaurants, bars and lounges. Even the public toilet exit doors have built-in sanitizer handles which caused much merriment in some quarters!

ENTERTAINMENT AND FACILITIES

Without a proper theatre, all the major entertainment and floor shows take place in the swish Britannia Lounge although with all the seating on the same level, viewing for some could be a little difficult.

However the standard of the shows was very good. The eight members of the resident Explosive Singers and Dancers – four singers, four dancers – were excellent as were their fabulous costumes. In fact the Mersey Beat Legends and the Piano Magic show were of the highest order and featured popular music from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Also on board were Jack Pack, a four piece vocal group in the Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Michael Buble mould. They rose to fame following their television debut on Britain's Got Talent and they performed two outstanding shows which was perfect for Saga's clientele age group. The four lads also admitted to eating far more than they usual would while praising the Sapphire's catering staff for producing menus of the highest order. They were also more than happy to mix with the passengers over a drink or three!

All the shows featured the five accomplished musicians who make up the Saga Orchestra. If you wanted something a little quieter, then Cooper's Bar (named after legendary British comic Tommy Cooper), usually had organist Milan Jasek performing classic songs and tunes. And for jazz fans, the spacious Drawing Room on deck 11 offered late night entertainment (and food) courtesy of both the Saga Orchestra and talented duo, Melange.

There's plenty of live music and dancing with two resident male hosts for the majority of single ladies… but I didn't spot any female hosts for the odd single gents!

Meanwhile quieter lounge areas are numerous along with an academy computer and learning centre, three well-stocked bars and a huge library. The Sapphire also has a hairdressers and beauty salon adjacent to the indoor swimming pool on deck 2, three shops and a photo gallery while there is even a paid for laundry service and free Wi-Fi. The electricity supply uses both UK and European plugs.

For activity minded passengers, there are two swimming pools, an aqua spa, steam room and a gymnasium plus a St Andrew's crazy golf course and Club House games room.

Six laps around deck 11 equated to one mile which proved very popular with many guests while for others, just relaxing beside the outdoor pool or sitting on the Verandah deck at the rear of the ship covered by a rug, reading or simply watching the vessel's wake was all that they wanted.

A variety of shops sell the usual duty free goods – drinks, perfume, jewelry and souvenirs – while there is a resident ship's photographer whose gallery is located on deck 8 just behind the shops.

On Sunday morning there was an interdenominational church service led by Canon Barry Lomax, a retired minister from Dorset. For those who wished it, he also took holy communion. The hour long service itself was preceded by hymns sung by the ship's Filipino choir made up of officers, waiters and cabin staff.

ON SHORE EXCURSIONS

Belgium – Ypres, In Flanders Fields

Having docked at Berth 103 in Zeebrugge's vast harbour, Saga's guests had a choice of four different shore excursions; Bruges, Loppem Castle & Damme, Romantic Bruges and our choice, Ypres, in Flanders Fields.

After a 60 minute coach journey we arrive at the village of Zonnebeke where we visited Tyne Cot, the largest of the Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries. It was named by the British troops who said the area reminded them of countryside around their Tyneside homes.

It's a vast site where almost 12,000 white Portland headstone stand in regimented rows, blood red roses and poppy wreaths adding a splash of colour by way of contrast.

Close to Tyne Cot's central memorial cross are the graves of two German soldiers while the youngest British soldiers to perish were just 15 years of age.

Walking alongside the sweeping stone-built graveyard wall, you see the names of some 34,957 missing soldiers who fell at the Battle of Passchendaele – also known as the Third Battle of Ypres – which commenced on the last day of July 1917 in torrential rain.

After 100 days of bitter fighting in truly atrocious conditions on what became known as the Ypres Salient, the British troops had advanced just eight kilometres. The Commonwealth lost more than half a million men, those losses equally mirrored by the opposing German armed forces, many of whom are buried at the nearby Langemark Military Cemetery.

From Tyne Cot, we made the short journey to the pretty Belgian town of Ypres which was totally destroyed during the Great War. However the magnificent Cloth Hall and other central buildings around its cobbled market square have all been painstakingly reconstructed and today Ypres resembles a typical medieval city centre.

The restored Cloth Hall – used as a projection backdrop in last month's televised Centenary Commemoration Concert attended by members of our own Royal family – houses the magnificent In Flanders Fields Museum while behind it stands St George's Memorial Church.

However the town's best known monument is the imposing Menin Gate on which are engraved 54,896 names of British and Commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives on the Ypres Salient. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield then built and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, it was only lack of space on this giant memorial that Tyne Cot's wall had to be constructed to accommodate the names of almost 35,000 men whose names had been missed.

Unfortunately we had to leave Ypres and return to the Saga Sapphire well before four buglers from the town's Voluntary Fire Brigade play the Last Post every night at 8pm as a tribute to the fallen. That tradition goes back exactly 90 years to when construction of the Menin Gate was finally completed and was unveiled on the 24th July 1927.

As with all on shore visits by coach, as a nice touch on the return journey saw a Saga representative come round and hand out the Werther's Originals.

The Netherlands – Canals & Anne Frank House

Docking at the Monnickendamkade Terminal the following day, we arrived at the North Holland province port of IJmuiden, gateway to the Dutch capital Amsterdam where once again we were given a choice of excursions; Panoramic Amsterdam, A Taste of Holland, Amsterdam On Your Own or our choice, The Anne Frank House & Canal Cruise.

Boasting more than 60 miles of hand dug canals – many flanked by picture-perfect narrow gabled houses – historic Amsterdam is also crossed by more than 1,000 bridges. On our visit, we circumnavigated this wonderful and exciting crowded destination, first by coach and then aboard one of the many glass-topped boats.

Viewing famous landmarks such as the Royal Palace on Dam Square which was once occupied by Napolèon's younger brother Louis Bonaparte who was proclaimed the Kingdom of Holland's monarch between 1806 and 1810. We also passed the 15th century Weeper's Tower where many Dutch wives would await the return of their seafaring husbands plus the nearby Maritime Museum and entrance to the Nemo tunnel which resembles a sinking ship.

Passing under dozens of low bridges, we picked our way around the canal system and into the Amstel River. We then heading out into the vast Het IJ waterway which is frequently cross-crossed by dozens of local ferries. These are free to use and enable visitors to enjoy the beaches and restaurants of Amsterdam Noord.

Thankfully the emotional visit to the Anne Frank House had been pre-booked as queues stretched all the way around the nearby Westerkerk (Western Church), the final resting place of Holland's most famous son, the artist Rembrandt van Rijn.

As the city's third most popular attraction – after the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum – the 17th century building on the Prinsengracht (Prince Canal) houses the Anne Frank House Museum which somehow managed to accommodate more than 1.3 million visitors last year. It was so busy that a decision was made to only take pre-booked tours up until 3.30pm… and then it becomes a free for all!

It takes around an hour to visit the house, museum and shop and you are accompanied by an individual audio guide. There are several steep flights of stairs to negotiate before you pass through the famous bookcase where you discover the small secret annex which hid eight members of the Frank family for two years until they were betrayed, arrested by the Nazis and sent to their deaths at Bergen-Belsen and Auschwitz concentrate camps.

Amazingly Anne's father Otto somehow survived the death camps and, on discovering his 14-year-old daughter's now famous diaries, he agreed to their publication in 1947, first in Dutch and then into English before many other language versions were added, making it a worldwide best seller.

Germany – Bremen Freespirited

Our final destination was to Bremerhaven and with the Saga Sapphire docked at the Columbus Quay, we chose the option of visiting the historic nearby city of Bremen while around 80 fellow guests chose to visit the alternative Tall Ships Experience in the home port.

It was a real homecoming for the Saga Sapphire, for she was actually built in Bremerhaven back in 1981 and, according to three pilots who came aboard shortly before we passed the mouth of Germany's Jade Bight and the port of Willemshaven to guide her to moorings along the River Weser, they said it was her first visit for 15 years.

The 45 minute coach trip from Bremerhaven to Bremen saw us dropped off close to the magnificent 11th century Gothic cathedral, the city's lovely Rathuis, its Renaissance City Hall and the huge statue of Roland in the UNESCO-listed Market Square.

However what really draws the visitors is the bronze Musicians of Bremen statue featuring a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster. Inspired by one of the Brothers Grimm's best-loved fairytales, most visitors are photographed holding the legs of the donkey which has become a German tradition and is reputed to bring them good luck!

We first visited Bremen around 30 years ago when its Christmas Market was in full swing. However this time with the temperature hovering around 26 degrees, we found shade provided by the little narrow streets of the Schnoor district in which many of the shops were open despite it being a Sunday… my wife unable to resist purchasing a small glass angel which will adorn our family Christmas tree come December!

OFFICERS, STAFF AND CREW

On our particular cruise, the ship's master was jovial Captain Stuart Horne who had only joined the Sapphire six weeks earlier. "I began my career straight from high school back in 1976," he told us.

Having had experience with many cruise and ferry companies, he is also a qualified ship's pilot and has a passion for classic cars and motorcycles when not on duty. He has also served on the Canberra during the Falkland Islands conflict in 1992.

We were invited to dine with him in the Pole to Pole Restaurant on our second night, along with fellow journalists Jeannine Williamson, Anthony Nicholas and Diane Page, so questions naturally came thick and fast.

"We currently have 438 officers, crew and staff along with 665 passengers on this particular trip. That's a ratio of around one to 1.4 which is far more impressive than on any other cruise line," he said.

"And as soon as we dock back at Dover our next trip will around the Baltic. I know there are quite a few passengers already aboard who have enjoyed back-to-back cruises while some are staying on for a third," he said.

With Filipinos making up the majority of the catering, cleaning and waiting staff, the one thing that is instantly noticeable is that everyone is friendly and courteous to all the passengers while they all seemed to get on very well together. "It's a really happy ship. There's plenty of respect and everyone gets along fine," he added.

And that happiness is clearly reflected in Captain Horne's daily announcements over the ship's tannoy, for his sense of humour wouldn't be out of place in the Tommy Cooper Bar!

ABOUT THE SAGA SAPPHIRE

The Saga Sapphire has certainly had a chequered past for it was originally built in Bremerhaven back in 1981 for Germany's Hapag-Lloyd Line and launched as MS Europa. However in 1999 it was purchased by the Star Cruises company and renamed MS SuperStar Europe only to undergo another change just 12 months later when it became MS Superstar Aries.

It was sold again in 2004 to Pullmantur Cruises and renamed MS Holiday Dream while four years on it was transferred to the CDF Croisières de France when it underwent another change to become Bleu de France, it's passenger capacity having been increased from a little over 650 to a maximum of 1158.

It was in November 2010 when Saga Cruises purchased the ship although CDF Croisières continued to charter it for the next 12 months until it underwent a four month total refit in Italy, this magnificent 37,301 tonne vessel emerging as the MV Saga Sapphire.

Today the luxury 12 deck ship – ten for passengers including a promenade deck – carries a maximum of 720 passengers who are looked after by an average of 415 officers and crew in a total of 327 cabins.

At almost 200 metres (655 feet) in length with a beam measuring 28.55 metres (94 feet), the Saga Sapphire has four passenger lifts and four restaurants.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

As this was our first time on a Saga holiday, both my wife and myself were blown away by the professionalism, friendliness and attitude of all the staff who simply couldn't do enough for us. I also learned that the average age of a Saga cruise passenger is 76 years old and that once they've had the experience, most go on to book cruises again year after year… and I can see why!

The Sapphire staff seem to treat everyone as friends and not strangers and together with Saga's cashless cruise policy, it means that you don't ever have to worry about having change for onboard tips and the like. All bills are settled before disembarkation thanks to a pre-registered credit or debit card system.

While some may think cruising is expensive, with no single cabin supplements, I believe that Saga offers tremendous value for money as everything – transfers, insurance, all-inclusive meals and a daily news bulletin – is included. And with free Wi-Fi available to all throughout the cruise, unlike other companies, it means that you can stay in touch with home and family for free should you wish.

However if there was one tiny complaint then it would have to be about the positioning of the safe in the cabins. While I could easily get down on my knees to punch in a chosen four digit code, as the safe in our cabin was located on one of the lower shelves inside the wardrobe, I can only imagine quite a few pensioners would struggle to get back up again. It's just a thought!

CRUISE FACTS

Seventy-year-old Alan Wooding and his wife Jo, 69, were the guests of Saga Travel aboard Saga Sapphire for the five night 'Bank Holiday Escape' cruise. Special thanks to Saga Cruise's PR Manager Naomi Thornton for organising the trip.

Amazingly the whole trip was taken on a flat calm sea while the ship covered a total distance of 830.2 nautical miles. It carried 665 passengers, occupying 327 cabins while prices were between £734 for an inside double or twin to £1,719 for a suite.

Specialising in holidays for the over-50s, Saga Holidays – www.saga.co.uk; www.sagacruises.co.uk; telephone 0800 096 0079 – include all return travel from your home to the port (in our case Dover) along with full-board accommodation, travel insurance and gratuities.

* The Saga Sapphire is due to return to Bremen, Amsterdam and Bruges again towards the end of the year on a Continental Christmas Markets cruise. It will leave Southampton on 3 December for five nights with prices starting at £899.

The leisure centre was alive with the sound of music as 140 children from the Daventry area were taught how to sing from scratch at the launch of Daventry Youth Choir.

The musical event celebrated National Music Day and was organised by Daventry Choral Society.

Five choral trainers under the leadership of the youth choirs first musical director Giles Tunrer showed the children correct vocal techniques in time for a concert in the evening.

Singing For Fun’ was the theme of the day and when the youngsters performed all the pieces as one choir with music raning from simple melodies to four part songs, they had an obvious sense of enjoyment.

A proud Elizabeth Bailey, the project manager, said the society’s event had exceeded all expectations and the choral trainers were impressed with the quality of the sound during the performance.

She was confident the day had encouraged and inspired enough of the youngsters who took part to form a new choir.

As a result of the scheme, Daventry Choral Society received an Innovation Award, which was one of only 12 to be handed out across the country.

Aiden Brennan and his family will host a night filled with diamonds, music, fireworks and prizes on October 28 at Dunchurch Park in Rugby.

The black-tie event starts with a drinks reception in the hotel grounds and will be followed by a three-course meal after which party goers will be entertained by a live band, disco and charity auction.

Aiden’s parents said they have been blown away by the generosity people have shown. Lucy Brennan, Aiden’s mother, said: “We can’t believe the prizes people have been so kind to donate. Companies have also come forward to help us with flowers and yummy table favours on the day."

The money raised from Aiden’s Ball will go towards DSGN’s work across Northamptonshire supporting people with Down Syndrome and their families. DSGN provides a wealth of activities and events including occupational and speech and language therapy and social activities.

Some of the money will be used to purchase specialist play equipment for Aiden’s school, Staverton Primary, allowing Aiden and all his friends to play safely and independently.

Shay Brennan, Aiden’s father, said: “Aiden was very poorly when he was little and DSGN has provided him and us with so much support. It’s going to be an emotional yet exciting night and we’re looking forward to giving back to such a wonderful charity.”

Prizes on the night include a pair of Cheaney’s shoes worth £350, complete with a personal tour of Cheaney’s Desborough-based factory, as well as a diamond ring donated by St Gyles Jewellers, an independent family-run boutique jeweller in Northampton.

Further donations include Northampton Cricket Club tickets and a signed cricket bat, a signed Saints shirt, VIP tickets to see Blues Rock star Joanne Shaw Taylor, a year of golf lessons with Shay Brennan Golf, personal training sessions, Triumph motorcycle merchandise, a NuSkin pamper evening, sports massages plus much more.

The night will end with a fireworks display by MLE Pyrotechnics.

Tickets for the ball are £50 and can be bought through the dedicated Facebook page, and donations can be made via the Just Giving page.

Anyone wishing to donate any prizes for the raffles or for the charity auction can email aidensball@gmail.com.

Jim Mallinder believes his current Saints side would beat the team that won the double in 2014.

But the director of rugby knows competition is increasing all the time as he bids to take his club back to the heights they enjoyed a few years ago.

Mallinder, who took over at Saints in the summer of 2007, steered the club to its first Premiership title and a Challenge Cup crown in 2014.

But they have not won a trophy since and after topping the regular-season table in 2015, they have finished fifth and seventh respectively.

However, Mallinder feels this season's squad is as strong as ever.

He said: "You do look back and you think 'why were we successful and why are we not doing quite as well at the moment?', and it would be daft of us not to do that.

"But looking at our squad, looking at the new people we've brought in, we have got that firepower.

"There are always one or two players who stand out individually, but it's not about individuals.

"For the strength of a Samu Manoa, of a Louis Picamoles, there's weaknesses as well, and as a coach you realise that more than what the general supporter does.

"But, in general, I think we've got a squad as strong as what we've had in the past.

"We've improved as a team, we've improved the way we play and I'm convinced that if we put our team out and played against the team of five or six years ago, this team would win because the game has changed so much.

"But the competition has improved and you've got to be even better."

Pressure has mounted on Mallinder and his fellow Saints coaches during the past couple of seasons.

And it ramped up an extra notch last Saturday, when Saints were beaten 55-24 by Saracens in this season's Premiership curtain raiser.

"We've got no doubt that the competition is challenging, professional rugby is all about winning and if you're not winning, the pressure comes at you," Mallinder said.

"We're all aware of it, but that's why we're all involved, because we like that challenge.

"Personally, if I didn't enjoy that challenge, I'd have stayed being a teacher.

"It's fantastic. It's why you do this thing.

"There is a bit of madness in it, it does stop you sleeping at night and you do have various issues - fans are not happy, but that's the sport we live in.

"We know what happened last weekend, but the good thing is we've got a game coming up and we've got to improve."

Mallinder has been the subject of criticism from some Saints supporters on social media.

"An example is our coaches," he said. "We played Saturday, Monday we were in early, the coaches drive up to Sale at 5pm to watch the Wandies play, they have some fish and chips, go and watch the game, get home at midnight and then they're in work for 7am the following day.

"People criticise the coaches for eating fish and chips during the game or going on their phone at half-time - and they're the things that frustrate you because I know how hard the coaches work and I know how hard the players work.

"I don't read it (social media criticism) myself, but it comes back to me."

And it is not just on social media where Mallinder takes flak.

He explained: "The problem for me in Northampton going out for a meal is that everyone I see reminds me about the game.

"It can be very nice when you're on a nice winning streak, but when you're losing, particularly in a place like Northampton, everyone knows the results and everyone knows me so you do have to try to find a place at some stage to switch off.

"I enjoyed playing as an amateur, I could get away, particularly living in Manchester, no one really knew you anywhere.

"This is different. There is scrutiny.

"I play tennis and people come to the rugby club, everyone knows it, it's the way it is, but I've chosen to come to a place like Northampton and I love being involved in it."

Mallinder is well aware that if you are to be a director of rugby, you have to have a thick skin.

And he added: "I can't worry about what the fans are thinking.

"I've got to work with the board, have a plan and be confident we are in a position where we can move forward.

"We'll be doing everything we can to win the game against Leicester this weekend.

"We know it's going to be difficult and if we lose, we're going to have to get everybody going again to beat Bath the following week.

"If we win it, it's absolutely fantastic, we'll have momentum and that will help us."

And win or lose against Leicester at Franklin's Gardens today, Mallinder knows he will have the backing of the Saints board.

"We've had a lot of changes at the club behind the scenes with a new chief exec (Mark Darbon) and a new chairman (John White), but they've always been 100 per cent supportive," he said.

"I've never had any debate.

"There will come a time where the board will decide or I will decide it's time for a change, but I'm in no place to move anywhere.

"The board has given me exactly what I want and we're together.

"You've just got to look at some of our signings and the way it's going.

"The Dan Biggar signing (which was announced on Wednesday) shows how positive we are and we're looking forward to the future.

"You've got to look early for signings and you've got to get stuck into big names, sometimes a year in advance.

"Of course we can't speak to any of the Premiership players until after Christmas, but we're fortunate that Dan Biggar's not in the Premiership so we could."

But for now, Mallinder must focus on getting a result against Leicester today.

And he insists his current squad is capable of achieving what the supporters expect this evening and for the rest of the season.

"I do think we've got a squad that can get into the top four and win silverware," Mallinder said.

"I'll be so disappointed if the players don't react now.

"We need and we will see a reaction today.

"As soon as we saw the fixture list: Saracens away, Leicester at home, Bath at home - we knew they were going to be three massive games.

"There's no guarantee you're going to win, but we've got to make sure we stick together.

"We have got a good squad, we've got a happy squad, we know what we need to do to and hopefully we can do it this weekend."

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink swept into the Grosvenor Casinos 1897 Suite at Sixfields a full 90 minutes after his scheduled arrival on Tuesday afternoon.

But any irritation amongst the waiting media pack was quickly soothed, as the former Chelsea and Leeds United striker strode confidently into the room, flashed a wide smile and an issued immediate apology for his lateness.

He then asked for somebody to take a picture of him in front of the Cobblers’ advertising backdrop ‘so I can show my wife’, and immediately the mood was relaxed.

Sometimes these press conferences when, in effect, new managers are expected to share their innermost thoughts and plans with total strangers, can be slightly uncomfortable affairs, but not this time.

Hasselbaink was charming, engaging, open, and willing to talk at length about his hopes and the challenges facing him at the Cobblers.

He can even be forgiven for that late arrival at Sixfields, as he had come straight from taking his new Town squad for their first training session at Moulton College.

And that, after all, is the really important part of his new job, a job he can’t wait to get stuck into after 10 months out of work.

Following a successful year in charge at Burton Albion, a productive spell that saw him win the league two title and then steer the Brewers to the top of league one, Hasselbaink’s coaching career suffered its first misstep as he was sacked by Queens Park Rangers after less than a year in charge.

The 45-year-old admits he has been striving to get back into work since his departure from Loftus Road, but wanted to find ‘the right project’.

And he believes he has now done just that.

“I was very eager to get back, “ said Hasselbaink.

“But I was only eager for the right opportunity, for the right project, and I think this is the right project for me.

“I love to be around the players, I love to see them running and sweating, and chasing, and it puts a smile on my face.”

The Cobblers are clearly a few steps down the footballing pecking order from QPR, but there are similarities between them and Burton, who are now enjoying their second season as a Sky Bet Championship club.

Indeed, Hasselbaink believes there is more potential at Sixfields.

“The clubs are not dissimilar, but with all due respect this is a bigger club than Burton,” said the former Netherlands international.

“We have more supporters, and we are a little bit further than Burton were when I took over, and they are now in the Championship.

“They are similar, but this is a little bit bigger.”

So does he feel he can repeat the success he enjoyed at the Pirelli Stadium in his new job?

“I think you have to respect every job differently. Burton was a different job, and this is a different one again,” said Hasselbaink.

“There are different kinds of individuals, and we have to adapt, we have to be flexible, and we have to find the strongest way forward for this group.

“If we find that, then we will be successful.”

So, after one training session, what are the new Cobblers manager’s initial thoughts on the squad of players at his disposal?

Hasselbaink admits he likes what he sees, but says being a successful player is about more than ability.

It’s about hard graft, and he will be drilling that into the Town players.

“There are talents in the squad,” said the two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner. “I think we have a lot of talent, and that is what I have said to the playing squad as well.

“But talent means nothing if you don’t have the dedication and hard work.

“We need to go to that dedication and hard work, and that talent will shine, and we started that this week.”

One issue that Hasselbaink has to face is, that with the transfer window closed, he is pretty much stuck with the squad he has inherited.

But he is relaxed about that.

“It is what it is,” said the Town boss. “It is not a negative, it is what I have, it is what I am happy with and it is what we are going to try to improve and make a force, and try to win games.”

New Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink enjoyed the perfect debut as his new side won 1-0 against Doncaster.

A goal inside 21 seconds from Matt Crooks was enough to gain Town their first three points of the season - and they were made to work hard for it.

Much of the Cobblers crowd were eager to see how the former Dutch international would line his first Cobblers side up, and the big call from the new gaffer was a starting berth for George Smith.

The left-sided wing-back, signed from Gateshead in the summer, had barely featured under Justin Edinburgh, but was thrown in at the deep end by Hasselbaink in a more advanced role.

There was also a debut for new loan keeper Matt Ingram, a familiar face to the new boss having managed him at QPR.

A big roar emitted from the crowd as Hasselbaink emerged from the tunnel, and a bigger smile hasn’t been seen on the face of a Cobblers manager at Sixfields in some while.

And if the crowd were up for it, so were the Cobblers players, as they gave their new manager the perfect start.

The call to start Smith was immediately vindicated as Town released him down the left from the whistle, and he used his pace to drive into the area, hold off his man and tee up Crooks for the easiest of finishes after just 21 seconds.

Spookily, it equalled the fastest ever goal scored at Sixfields, which was netted by Sean Parrish 20 years to the day against Luton.

Town had to be alert to a quick response from Doncaster though, and when Aaron Pierre made a hash of a clearance, David Buchanan had to dive in a stop a goalbound shot from Liam Mandeville.

But that was as close as the visitors got in a first half where Town created many more chances.

The imposing Crooks looked a different animal under Hasselbaink than the one Town fans had seen in the first few weeks of the season.

Showing the position, touch and guile that made him stand out at Accrington, he had two more good chances to extend Town’s lead in the first half.

Revell, constantly running to pick off loose passes from the Rovers defence, intercepted and fed Crooks in the area, but he leant back just a bit too much and fired wide.

The second - deep into eight minutes of added time after lengthy treatment to an injured linesman - saw Long dispossess Rovers this time. The Burnley loanee whipped in a teasing ball across the area that found Crooks at the back post, but the midfielder saw his diving header whistle past the post.

It was an encouraging first half which saw the Town faithful buzzing at half-time. More energy, more attacking, more chances. Coupled with Ingram having very little to do, Hasselbaink could hardly have asked for a better start.

The second half though was more of a struggle. Town appeared to tire quite early on, and began to sank deeper. Yet while Doncaster had plenty of the ball, they weren’t really calling Matt Ingram into action.

But sensing his side needed more energy up top, Hasselbaink brought on Billy Waters, with Chris Long making way.

But it didn’t change much, as Rovers maintained their possession but did little with it. Ingram did have to be alert to race off his line and head the ball away as John Marquis bared down on goal.

And he then palmed away a stinging effort from substitute James Coppinger.

After that, Town then faced an aerial bombardment of corners and crosses as Doncaster finally threatened, with Ingram doing well to palm away a header from Tommy Rowe, before Andy Butler rose well to head over.

But the Town side look more resolute than at any other stage of this season, and they stood firm to head away every cross and block every shot - although Ingram had to pull off a wonderful late save to tip over Ben Whiteman's thunderous strike.

The Sixfields crowd's nerves were shot at this time, but the players held out to gain a crucial first win and get the Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink era up and running.

Match facts

Cobblers: Ingram, Moloney, Taylor, Pierre, Buchanan (c), McWilliams, Crooks (Richards, 76), Grimes, Smith (Powell, 88), Long (Waters, 57), Revell

Subs not used: Cornell, Poole, Barnett, Kasim

Doncaster: Lawlor, Blair, Wright, Butler, Toffolo (Coppinger, 46), Kongolo, Whiteman, Rowe, Garratt (Houghton, 60), Marquis, Mandeville (May, 60).

Subs not used: Marosi, Mason, Alcock, Williams

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 5,843

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink praised the effort levels of his new players as they helped secure him a 1-0 win over Doncaster in his first game as Cobblers boss.

Matt Crooks scored the only goal of the game after just 21 seconds in a first half where Town created plenty of chances, and they showed their grittier side in the second half to stop Rovers from equalising.

And that second half struggle, and how the players reacted to it, was one of the most pleasing aspects of the game for the new Sixfields boss.

He said: "The boys worked very hard, the application was magnificent. The three points were very important, but you look at your team and how they can suffer, and how they are willing to suffer. And we suffered today.

"But that was always going to be the case because it’s only been a few days together and the confidence is low. So we need to work on the confidence and believe in what we have got. And I must say, it’s a very good start.

"It was a win, but more important was the application of the players. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

And the former Dutch striker was thrilled with the early lead his side took, saying: “You dream of that kind of start, but let’s not great crazy - I was hoping for a second or third! It was a great start though.

“It shook us a bit actually because they were surprised, you could see that. We need to learn how we’re going to manage when we do that, that could have been better."

Despite having just a few days to train with their new manager, the Cobblers showed some urgency and creativity that they couldn't produce under Justin Edinburgh, and Hasselbaink was delighted to see some of the early training work put into practice on the pitch - even if it didn't always work out.

He said: "I was happy that they tried, they tried to do the right and they were doing it full-hearted. We can improve and we will improve. But I'm happy with how it all went today.

"Everything went in the right way. There are still a lot of things to work at, but it's a good start. You can see they are willing. I couldn't have asked for more. They showed really good spirit, and that's a good platform to be successful."

For Hasselbaink it was the first time in a dugout since his sacking at QPR back in November last year, and the former Chelsea striker was thrilled to be back in the action, even if it showed afterwards.

"My voice is gone!" he joked after the game. "It's been a while that I've been there screaming, so my voice is going to have to get used to it. But it's nice to be back, and nice to be working with players that are giving you 100 per cent."

Saints produced the perfect response to their opening-day drubbing as they secured a huge 24-11 victory against Leicester Tigers at Franklin's Gardens.

Jim Mallinder's men, who were beaten 55-24 by Saracens last Saturday, scored three times in a dominant display against their local rivals.

Luther Burrell, Dylan Hartley and Tom Collins all registered as Saints ended their Leicester hoodoo, ending Tigers' seven-match winning streak in east midlands derbies.

It was a gargantuan performance from every Saints player, with Lions star Courtney Lawes leading the way with an all-action showing.

Leicester had few answers and were on the back foot from the off as they went on to suffer their second defeat in as many matches this season.

But it was a sweet success for Saints as they bounced back in style to secure some long overdue bragging rights.

Saints, having seen how Bath suffocated Tigers at Welford Road on the previous Sunday, put up plenty of high balls in the early stages, and the away side struggled to deal with them.

Courtney Lawes took Saints to within 10 metres of the line, but the ball went loose at the crucial moment and Tigers survived.

It was one-way traffic in the frenetic formative stages and after Leicester lost a lineout, Saints turned the screw.

George North carried them to within range and Kieran Brookes showed good composure to set Burrell, leaving the centre the task of diving over the line in delight.

Mallinder added the extras and it was exactly the kind of start Saints craved, giving their supporters something to shout about.

But Tigers were so dominant in the scrum and a penalty in that area gave George Ford a chance to narrow the gap to four points, but he sent the kick to the right of the posts.

Saints were straight back at the Leicester door and after a spell of relentless pressure, Hartley finally found a way to score.

The Gardens waited for the television match official to give it, but give it he did, and Mallinder added the extras to make it 14-0.

Tigers had struggled to get any territory, but they eventually got the scoreboard ticking as Ford made the most of an easy penalty chance.

Saints kicked to the corner in a bid to score their third try before the break, but Tigers defended stoically and turned the ball over in the maul.

However, that wasn't the end of the Northampton charge, with two more big lineouts after the clock struck 40.

Tigers continued to offend and were lucky to escape without a yellow card after what appeared to be a deliberate knock-on in midfield.

Saints did get the penalty from referee JP Doyle, and Mallinder landed it to finish the first half at 17-3.

Paul Hill was brought on in place of Brookes at half-time as Saints sought to steady the scrum.

And their backs continued to look dangerous, with a scything break from Tom Collins putting Tigers on the back foot at the start of the second half.

The pressure told in the form of a yellow card for replacement Mike Williams as Tigers were made to pay for persistent offending.

But another scrum penalty gave Leicester some respite and they pushed on to claim another award from Doyle closer to the posts.

Ford landed the kick to close the gap to 11 points with 22 minutes remaining.

Williams then returned to the field and Tigers had enjoyed the better of the game during his time out, with the away side winning the 10-minute spell 3-0.

Mallinder had the chance to cancel out Ford's kick, but he sent the ball wide of the posts.

However, the Saints fans were soon on their feet as Collins scored a trademark try.

He flew through the Tigers defence and sidestepped Ben Youngs on his way to the line to bring a huge roar from the elated Gardens.

Mallinder converted to make it 24-6 with 10 minutes to go, and Saints had the bonus point in their sights.

But Tigers were to have the final say as Jonny May showed his pace to chase his own kick ahead and score.

The conversion was missed and it wasn't long before Saints were able to boot the ball out to rubber-stamp a memorable success.

Saints: Tuala; North (Foden 62), Horne, Burrell (Grayson 77), Collins; Mallinder, Groom (Reinach 76); Waller (Ma'afu 74), Hartley (c) (Haywood 61), Brookes (Hill 40); Paterson, Day; Lawes (Ratuniyarawa 77), Gibson, Harrison (Ludlam 68).

Leicester Tigers: Veainu; Malouf, Smith, Toomua, May; Ford, B Youngs (Harrison 75); Genge (Bateman 70), T Youngs (c) (Thacker 33), Cole (Mulipola 70); Barrow, Kitchener; Hamilton, O'Connor (Ryan 41), Kalamafoni.

Referee: JP Doyle

Jim Mallinder says Saints have now set their standard for the rest of the season after their comprehensive success against Leicester Tigers at Franklin's Gardens.

Mallinder's men ended a seven-match east midlands derby losing streak as they saw off Tigers 24-11.

Tries from Luther Burrell, Dylan Hartley and an eye-catching effort from Tom Collins earned a deserved victory on derby day.

It was the perfect response from Saints after last Saturday's 55-24 evisceration at the hands of Saracens at Twickenham.

And Mallinder said: "We had to respond like that - there was no other way.

"We spoke about it during the week and it (the defeat to Saracens) has got to be a good reminder for us for the rest of the season.

"In this game, you've got to be physical, you've got to get that intensity - and last week we didn't do it.

"This week, we stepped up and you could tell from the first minute we were up for it.

"That's the standard we need to set for the rest of the season."

Courtney Lawes was named man of the match after a gargantuan showing in the back row.

Mallinder was delighted with the Lions star's display and also hailed the team effort as Saints dominated almost from start to finish to send their supporters home happy.

"I said we'd had a good pre-season and though some people might have doubted that last week, I know we've got some good players," Mallinder said.

"Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes really led from the front and showed what they were about.

"The two second rows (Michael Paterson and Christian Day) worked really hard.

"It was a team effort."

Truly ace but a tee-rrific grind.

Everybody’s Golf is close to breaking my spirit.

One of my favourite games ‘back in the day’ I could not wait to get stuck into the 2017 version.

And it doesn’t disappoint, from the cutesy graphics to the excellent mechanics, gameplay and physics it’s all there.

This time around there is a home hub (think Destiny with avatars and golf clubs) which you navigate to choose your challenges and tournaments.

Some excellent modes like Turf War and the brilliant XP and levelling system is truly addictive - now you can even level up individual clubs.

Throw in the serious range of customisation for your avatar and Everybody’s Golf is looking ace.

But then comes the dreaded monotony. Golf games have always struggled with that dangerous sense of solitude and incentivising gamers to keep coming back one mammoth 18-hole round after another.

EG does more and better than any other golf title out there to eradicate that when you are on the course.

After all this is the most colourful, fun, fast-paced and welcoming golf game you’re ever likely to play with the three button push swing fit for all ages and abilities.

But it is the amount of time you have to spend on the SAME course/s which is slowly eating away at my eagerness to continue/will to live/time/marriage/life.

I played the same course over and over for hours (I’m talking six hours) and still didn’t unlock the second course. Then when I unlocked that I saw online it can take double that to unlock the third... and there’s five courses.

More will be available in the form of DLC but it is far too much of a trudge to get what should be in the game from the get go.

EG is still a must-have, though, despite its maddening grind and delivers on all the pre-release nostalgic hype.

Perhaps the idea is to keep gamers invested for the long term but with most FPS campaigns done and dusted by now I’d question whether Clap Hanz have gone about it in the right way. This is definitely a swing and a hit... but let down by the monotony.

Tall men and women are more likely to suffer a potentially deadly blood clot, warns new research.

A study of more than two million siblings found a direct link between height and venous thromboembolism - a serious condition where a clot forms in a vein.

Men 6ft 2in or taller were 65 per cent more at risk than those shorter than 5ft 3in.

Women pregnant for the first time who were at least 6ft were 69 per cent more at risk than those shorter than 5ft 1in.

Pregnancy makes women’s blood more likely to clot to protect against heavy bleeding when they give birth.

Lead researcher Professor Bengt Zoller, of Lund University in Sweden, said: “Height is not something we can do anything about.

“However, the height in the population has increased, and continues increasing, which could be contributing to the fact that the incidence of thrombosis has increased.”

Each year about 25,000 people in the UK die from venous thromboembolism and about one in 500 Britons will get it.

It starts in a vein and includes two types of blood clots - deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which forms in the leg and pulmonary embolism (PE) which happens when the clot breaks free and travels to the lung.

Potentially fatal

Both can be fatal but can be treated with injectable drugs that dissolve the clots or blood thinning medications that combat them. Removal by surgery is another option.

Previous research has suggested the risk of venous thromboembolism among men 6ft or over is more than two-and-a-half-times greater.

The study, published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics, involved participants from Sweden where the population is now as ethnically diverse as the US, said Prof Zoller.

He said the shorter they were the less the likelihood of them developing the blood clot.

Each year thousands of Britons develop the serious, potentially fatal, medical condition.

The most common triggers are surgery, cancer, immobilisation and hospitalisation.

Hormones ‘a major cause’

In women pregnancy and use of hormones like the Pill or oestrogen for menopause symptoms are also major causes.

Prof Zoller said gravity could be behind the association between height and venous thromboembolism risk.

He said: “It could just be that because taller individuals have longer leg veins there is more surface area where problems can occur.

“There is also more gravitational pressure in leg veins of taller persons that can increase the risk of blood flow slowing or temporarily stopping.”

One theory is blood must be pumped a longer distance in tall people which may cause reduced flow in the legs and thereby raise the risk of clotting.

Another possible connection is that taller people tend to weigh more - and increased weight, particularly in those who are obese, puts extra pressure on the legs and calves, and so reduces blood flow.

Prof Zoller said: “I think we should start to include height in risk assessment just as overweight, although formal studies are needed to determine exactly how height interacts with inherited blood disorders and other conditions.”

Being short has also been found to carry a reduced risk of cancer - possibly because they have a larger number of cells in their body which could potentially lead to a tumour.

The vertically challenged are also more likely to live longer because the hormone that controls height - called the Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) - also controls ageing. A low level of IGF means a longer life expectancy.

It’s estimated venous thromboembolism affects up to 600,000 Americans every year - making it the third leading cause of heart attack and stroke.

Welcome to our weekly 'looking back' feature where we find out what hit the headlines in the Gusher 10, 25 and 40 years ago.

September 6, 2007

Postcards featuring a colourful painting of Daventry town centre went on sale to raise money for charity. The postcards were printed by Rotary Club of Daventry in support of its charities which included MS Society, Macmillan and Danetre Hospital Extras’ Appeal. They feature Nina Cashmore’s masterpiece acrylic painting which won the club’s art competition earlier in the year. The work of art depicts life in and around the Market Square and High Street, featuring old and new shops and familiar landmarks. The Gusher likes the painting so much it has been our Facebook page cover since 2015.

September 3, 1992

Holdenby House’s head gardener was split seconds away from certain death as he watched in horror as a 200-year-old lime tree crushed his car. Stan Maskery left the seat of his Alpine Talbot to open the gates to the grounds only moments before the trunk toppled onto his car. Rain drenched leaves adding extra weight were thought to have caused the freak accident less than two hours before visitors were due to arrive for an Elizabethan weekend. Stan, 61, had been nurturing the grounds for the past 23 years, and said theincident had not yet registered when interviewed immediately after.

September 9, 1977

Daventry council workmen dropped a clanger when they went about cutting grass on the Grange Estate when they confused grass verges with shrub gardens. One labourer cut down a shrub garden that had just established itself, three years after the council had planted it. Alec Bickers, who lived opposite the depleted shrub garden, suggested the men would have benefitted from a lottle bit of training in order to distinguish between grassland and shrubland, before adding the man had been very apologetic after he realised what he had done. His next door neighbour described the chopping as “stupid.”

It might still be four months until Christmas, but lovers of a glass of fizz can already get ready for the festive season with their bubbly-themed advent calendar.

Online alcohol retailer The Pip Stop are selling a variety of Christmas gifts on their website, including the ‘Sparkle Advent Calendar’.

It features a tiny bottle of fizz behind each of its 24 windows, including Prosecco, cava and Champagne. As you might expect, this gift doesn’t come cheap and will set you back £125.

Although it doesn’t officially go on sale until September 18, you can pre-order one now - perhaps a wise move given that these are likely to sell out fast.

The company are also selling a variety of other gift calendars, including ones filled with beer, wine, and gin and tonic and even baubles filled with alcohol.

Demand has proved big in the past so although the mention of the ‘C’ word will send a shiver up spines this far out of the festive season, only the best prepared will get their hands on one.

Other alternative calendars have sold out well in the past - with Benefit’s sold-out beauty version selling for twice its retail price on Ebay last year.

On Saturday many Lidl stores across the country ran out of Prosecco after the supermarket chain offered six bottles of Allini fizz for £20 - working out at just £3.33 a bottle.