Bromsgrove vs. Preston Grasshoppers – Kick Off 2.15pm
Phil Baines kicks ahead with a Ball-Boy in support and on side back in November against Bromsgrove
Team News
The 2 week break has been kind to Hoppers as they are able to name a familiar looking line up for the trip to Bromsgrove on Saturday. After struggles with injury Hoppers welcome back Andrew Irving and Sam Kendall.
Andrew Irving, Phil Mills, Pete Altham, Ally Murray, Sam Wallbank, Killian Wallace, Eddie Webster, Dom Moon*, Craig Aikman, Lloyd Davies, Sam Kendall, Jack Ward, Phil Baines, Adam Birchall, Sean Taylor
Replacements:
Jack Wilkinson, Dan Madden, Joab Murphy, Will Lees, Sam Whyte
Preview
Hoppers will be hoping the weather doesn’t get in the way of another planned fixture when they look forward to a trip to Worcestershire side Bromsgrove this coming Saturday.
It will be three weeks since most of Hoppers 1st XV squad played any meaningful rugby, which is a helpful situation on the one hand giving injuries time to clear up but lack of match practice isn’t thought to be the best of preparations for what will be a very important game for both clubs.
Someone else hoping for good weather will be Ally Murray who’s planned fiftieth appearance for the club was postponed together with the game against Hull. As mentioned in the match preview, Ally made his debut during the 2011-12 season off the bench in the home fixture against Westoe on the 1st of October and his forty nine appearances include three tries, two of which have come this season so it’s fair to say his try scoring efforts are on the up!
With just eight games remaining and thirteen points from safety, Bromsgrove find themselves with a real fear of relegation hanging over them, and with Hoppers not exactly setting the league on fire with recent results the home side will be viewing the fixture as one of their last chances to climb from a what has become a perilous position.
Hoppers will take heart for their game at Finstall Park with a look at the home side’s record since Bromsgrove visited Lightfoot Green back in November. During this time they’ve recorded just a couple of victories from twelve outings, both home wins over teams in a similar situation, Sheffield Tigers and Dudley Kingswinford.
This will be just the sixth meeting between Hoppers and ‘Grove and with the first game at Finstall Park ending all square and Hoppers winning their four previous home fixtures plus last year at Bromsgrove, the visitors will be looking to keep their unbeaten record over the Worcestershire side. The first meeting with this week’s opponents occurred here in Preston, taking place over forty years ago at The Lea Ground on the 16th of December 1972. Bromsgrove stepping in to replace a scheduled fixture against Orrell who had a National Cup game that day. The game resulted in a twenty six points to six victory for the home club.
Hoppers Seconds have a free weekend and other games being played by Hoppers Senior teams this coming Saturday include;
Hoppers 3 vs. Liverpool St Helens 2 (Home)
Hoppers 4 vs. Aldwinians 3 (Home)
Hoppers 5 vs. Tarleton 2 (Away)
Hoppers 6 vs. Bolton 4 (Away)
Hoppers Women vs. Hull (Away)
