Preston Grasshoppers vs. South Leicester – Kick Off 2.15pm
Jack Harrison finds some space from a quick tap penalty with Olly Viney and Will Hunt in support.
This Saturday Preston Grasshoppers welcome South Leicester to Lightfoot Green for their second visit to our ground although they will be playing on a different pitch from their first meeting with Hoppers.
Our visitors from Leicestershire sit a number of places above us in the league table thanks to a couple of drawn games from their last two home fixtures, against high flying Sedgley Park and last week against top of the league Caldy. Like Hoppers our visitors have just two victories against their name, one at Welford Road over Sale and the other at Harrogate whilst they have lost at the hands of Stourbridge, Leicester Lions, Chester and Wharfedale. A glance at their eight opponents so far this season and you will see that apart from Wharfedale and Harrogate, the remainder are all from the current top six of the table. Hoppers matches meanwhile have been equally shared between the top and bottom halves of the league as it stands.
Those who witnessed last season’s game at Lightfoot Green will recall Hoppers dragging a draw from the jaws of defeat with three tries in the last five minutes giving them what appeared an unlikely result with just those few minutes remaining.
South Leicester maintained a successful system last season with a large powerful pack aided by a lively half back pairing seeing them comfortably cope with the move up to Level 4 rugby for the first time. With many of their squad already having experience playing their rugby at this and higher levels, it came as no surprise to see them finish in a mid table position.
Last week at Tynedale Park Hoppers left their best rugby until it was too late and must carry forward those last ten to fifteen minutes into the start of this weeks encounter with South Leicester.
After battering away at the door for a number of seasons ‘South’ eventually gained promotion into National 2 North for the start of last season. Their promotion season saw them losing just once before finishing as Champions by some considerable margin over Hinckley who eventually gained promotion for this season after they had lost in the play-off to Sandal who themselves failed to survive their brief foray into N2N.
Olly Viney makes for a gap in the Tynedale defence last week at Corbridge in what was his 149th League appearance for Preston Grasshoppers.
Photographs by ‘Digger’.
