Preston Grasshoppers vs. Leicester Lions – Kick Off 2:15pm – Match postponed due to frozen pitch
Our visitors suffered a rare home defeat last Saturday albeit at the hands of league leaders Caldy who by the nature of the fixture matrix, have the honour of playing our weekly opponents each previous Saturday.
Whilst the Lions can boast a comfortable position in the league, last week aside they have had most of their success on home soil. Last Saturday’s defeat was just their second from seven outings, the other coming early in the season at the hands of Luctonians. On the road they’ve won three of their five encounters, these being against local rivals South Leicester by a single point together with Hoppers last opponents at Lightfoot Green Sheffield Tigers and also at Wharfedale. There defeats away from Westleigh have come at Chester and rather surprisingly, bottom side Harrogate.
Preston Grasshoppers travelled to Stourbridge last weekend with spirits high after their previous Saturday’s success over Sheffield Tigers, only to lose a game once again during the first period. The fight back however was commendable, restricting the home side from scoring another point for the last fifty minutes together with a maiden try for speedy winger Cameron Robinson and an opportunist effort from Ally Murray. Had a pass successfully gone to hand in the first half and Lewis Allen had his kicking boots on, things might well have turned out differently.
National League Two matches against Leicester Lions began relatively recently when this week’s visitors gained promotion into the RFU’s Level 4 as Champions of Midlands 1 at the end of the 2004/5 season which coincided with Preston Grasshoppers promotion from North 1. Since then both clubs have occupied places at this level.
The share of victories in the resulting encounters lies in favour of our visitors thanks to a double achievement last season giving them the edge by twelve wins to Hoppers ten. The Lions have won on three occasions at Lightfoot Green in eleven visits and Hoppers just twice at Westleigh Park, which shows the advantage in this particular fixture over the years mainly favouring the home side.
A reminder here that the 1869 Club are planning to run a supporters coach to Harrogate for Hoppers next fixture which will be a crucial one for both sides as they hope to make the turn of the season also a turning point in their fortunes. Please add your names to the poster on the noticeboard and give your team the support they require for this important fixture. Departure is from the clubhouse at 10:30 for a 2pm kick off. Pick-ups along the A59 can be accommodated with prior notification.
Photograph courtesy of Mike Craig – Phil Mills seen here charging for the line in typical fashion, will make his one hundredth League appearance next time out for Hoppers.
