Preston Grasshoppers vs. Macclesfield, 15th Jan 2022
Hoppers and their faithful band of supporters hit the road for the second week in succession this Saturday and head this time for a trip into Cheshire where Macclesfield will be their hosts.
Last Saturday’s long trip to York was rewarded with both a victory on the field and a very hospitable set of supporters in the clubhouse making the visit a very memorable one. Hoppers found last week’s opponents offering stiff opposition and with both sides restricting their opponents to one try apiece, it was left to the the boot of Alex Ward to seal victory for the visitors.
This week’s opponents are in a rich vein of form, capped by a very narrow defeat last Saturday at the home of the current undefeated league leaders Otley where they held the lead for some time. Macclesfield had won every game before last week since going down at Rossendale in late November, a run which included victories at Wirral and Alnwick plus the win-less Northwich at Priory Park. One thought Hoppers must take with them to Cheshire is the fact that the Macclesfield side will not be the same they were at Lightfoot Green last September when the home side ran out comfortable winners. Macclesfield currently lie in fifth position, fourteen points behind Hoppers in third who have played a game less.
Before this season, Hoppers last met Macclesfield during the 2018/19 season in National 2 North winning both encounters, and before that during 2015/16 and 2013/14 when on both occasions our visitors were on their way to promotion, Macclesfield being victorious in all four of these games.
Competitive games between the two clubs go back to 1993 when the first meeting took place at Lightfoot Green on the 6thof November, Hoppers taking the spoils eighteen points to ten.
There have been twenty four meetings between the two clubs at 1st XV level, with Hoppers having won twelve to Macclesfield’s eleven and one being drawn thirty six all in Cheshire. Victories in league fixtures are equal with each winning nine. The points total of thirty six from the drawn game at Priory Park on the 24th of September 2005 still stands as a Preston Grasshoppers record in drawn league games.
DIGGER
Another reminder to Hoppers supporters that the 1869 Club are running a coach to Macclesfield, departing the Clubhouse at 11am.
