Hoppers host Hull

Date: 10 March 2014

Preston Grasshoppers vs. Hull – Kick Off 2.30pm

Connor Truman

Conor Truman, sporting a dodgy undergarment finishes off a swift move for Hoppers to take an early lead last Saturday.

Michael Lough has announced a line up for Saturday which apart from Danny Madden’s promotion from the bench shows just positional changes in the pack from last week’s starters.

Good news amongst the replacements with the return of Richard Morton, Alan Holmes and Lewis Allen.

1 Danny Madden, 2 Phil Mills, 3 Pete Altham, 4 Ally Murray, 5 Andy Irving, 6 Sam Wallbank, 7 Kilian Wallace, 8 Dominic Moon (Captain), 9 Craig Aikman, 10 Lloyd Davies, 11 Sam Kendall, 12 Jack Ward, 13 Phil Baines, 14 Conor Truman, 15 Sean Taylor.

Replacements:

16 Alan Holmes, 17 Richard Morton, 18 Will Lees, 19 Lewis Allen, 20 Sam Whyte.

Meanwhile, Hull have submitted the following twenty names prior to Thursday training and fitness tests;

15. Jamie Barnard, 14. James Kirk, 13. Richard Hayes, 12. Alex Heard, 10. James Cameron, 9. Jamie Clarke, 8. Oliver Cook, 7. Rob Devonshire, 6. Jo Stafford, 5. Phil Murphy, 4. Max Alderson, 3. Colin Phillips, 2. Josh Lamping, 1. Tom Price.

Replacements;

16. Greg Lound, 17 Will Haddow, 18. Max Argyle, 19. Chris Murphy, 20. Mike Jobling.

Preston Grasshoppers welcome Hull to Lightfoot Green this coming Saturday after the original fixture was postponed due to a flooded pitch just a few weeks ago.

Our visitors from Yorkshire will be intent on preventing Hoppers completing a double over them this season and continuing their recent good form which has seen them pull away from the bottom three clubs in our league, winning seven of their fifteen games since the two teams met at The Ferens Ground back in early November. Before that game Hull had recorded just a single victory and that over bottom club Dudley Kingswinford. Hoppers record since our last meeting is stark contrast to Hull’s, having gained victories in just four games from the same number of matches.

Last Saturday’s disappointing performance against Harrogate was a serious set back after promising signs of recovery in the victory over Bromsgrove. Things weren’t helped by the early loss of hooker Phil Mills who had a big influence on the result in Worcestershire the previous week. With ‘Plan A’ obviously not working there was no sign of a ‘Plan B’ which will be something to work on during this week’s training sessions. On a positive note Conor Truman scored his second try in just his third appearance and Luke Proctor touched down on his first game this season for the 1st XV off the bench late in proceedings. Head Coach Michael Lough will have been delighted by the replacement’s late try on two fronts as it also gained him five points in the Players Sponsorship Sweepstake!

Fixtures against Hull’s ‘Town’ Club are only recent events, the first taking place back in the 2004/5 season at their old ground Howarth Road when Hoppers were victorious by thirty four points to thirty two. The home team missed a late kick at goal for victory helping Hoppers on their way to promotion. The statistics tell us there to have been twelve meetings between the two clubs with Hoppers holding the upper hand, winning seven including a win in a National Cup tie to Hull’s four successes plus an eighteen all draw.

It’s Cup weekend for our other senior sides with just the Fourths surviving. The 6th XV are also in action as they welcome Tyldesley 3 to Lightfoot Green

Lighting and Building Services LBS Bowl – Quarter Final

Hoppers 4 vs. Rochdale 3 (Away)

Division 5 North

Hoppers 6 vs. Tyldesley 3 (Home)

Photograph Courtesy of Mike Craig.

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