Preston Grasshoppers take the relatively short journey to Huddersfield’s Lockwood Park ground which is overlooked by the giant railway arches (pictured above) for their third game of the season, and will be boosted by their victory over local rivals Fylde last Saturday at Lightfoot Green.
At the beginning of last season Hoppers took Huddersfield’s place in the Northern Premier League with the Yorkshire side having won promotion as undefeated Champions at the first attempt after being relegated from N2N.
Huddersfield followed that impressive achievement with a successful return to the National Leagues’ finishing in sixth place last term. So far this season they have still to repeat that form and are yet to record a victory after suffering narrow defeat at the hands of last season’s runners up Sedgley Park at home on the opening Saturday before losing to Otley last Saturday on the road at Cross Green. Interestingly Otley were well beaten by our opponents last week on the opening weekend at The Woodlands. Read into that what you will!
Meetings between the two clubs go back to the late 1950’s when Hoppers made the first journey over the Pennines to play Huddersfield on the 29th of March 1958 at The Waterloo Ground, which is now occupied by a Morrisons Supermarket.
It wasn’t a lucky trip for the travellers as the home team ran out comprehensive victors, 29 points to 9; in fact it took eight visits to Huddersfield before Hoppers eventually gained a win there in 1965.
The playing record between this week’s opponents sits in favour of Huddersfield by thirty one victories against twenty six to Hoppers with two matches ending all square and one being cancelled. League encounters currently stand level with each club having won seven apiece.
There have been four other meeting between the two teams, all of which were pre-season practice games. The first three of these being played at Lockwood Park with the latest at the start of last season at Lightfoot Green. Preston Grasshoppers won all three in Yorkshire whilst Huddersfield won last season’s encounter.
Team News
1. Oga Mabaya
2. PJ Millea
3. Peter Altham
4. Adam Howard
5. Luke Procter
6. Ally Murray
7. Teddy Leatherbarrow
8. Matthew Lamprey
9. James Gough
10. Thomas Davidson
11. Conor Trueman
12. James Fitzpatrick
13. Sam Stott
14. Tyler Spence
15. Scott Jordan
16. Connor Johnson
17. Ryan Wilkinson
18. Oliver Trippier
19. Alex Ward
20. Brad Cave
