Preston Grasshoppers vs. Hull Ionians
After suffering their heaviest defeat of the season last Saturday at the hands of a very well organised Hinckley team, Preston Grasshoppers host top of the table Hull Ionians this week at Lightfoot Green.
Our visitors are looking likely to bounce straight back up to National 1 after relegation at the end of last season saw the end of their second tenure in that division. It will be Hoppers as their next opponents hoping to make their intended journey a little more difficult.
Last Saturday’s trip to the Midlands saw Hoppers struggle to break down the home side’s defence after breaching it and going into an early lead. It was the home side who dominated much of the game, with the visitors finding it difficult to retain possession on the occasions they managed a break.
Fixtures against Hull Ionians started in their inaugural season and on the 7thof October 1989 they made their first visit to Lightfoot Green, when on this occasion the visiting team were victorious by thirteen points to nine.
The playing record to date between today’s rivals stands in the visitors favour by just one victory in twenty nine, whilst in the twenty two League games they have won two more than the ‘Hoppers.
MILESTONES
Next in line to make the fifty games mark for Hoppers will be Conor Trueman (pictured above) who made his debut against the same club as fellow half centurian Luke Proctor last week, Luctonians but this time during the 2013/14 season. Conor went on to score six tries from his nine appearances which made him one of the top try scorers in his debut season. He’s suffered a number of serious injuries throughout his career and his tally of fifteen tries would most certainly have been a lot higher given an injury free time with Preston Grasshoppers.
Team News
Hoppers field a much changed side to the one which travelled to Hinckley with PJ Millea, Alastair Murray and Teddy Leatherbarrow all returning to the pack following injury. In the backs there is a reshuffle with Matt Crow moving into the centre allowing Tyler Spence to return to his wing with Brad Cave fit again at full back.
1. Oga Mabaya
2. PJ Millea (C)
3. Peter Altham
4. Luke Procter
5. Alastair Murray
6. Rouban Birch
7. Teddy Leatherbarrow
8. Matthew Lamprey
9. James Gough
10. Thomas Davidson
11. Conor Trueman
12. Sam Stott
13. Matt Crow
14. Tyler Spence
15. Brad Cave
Replacements
16. Noah Miller
17. Oliver Trippier
18. Jack Edwards
19. Alex Ward
20. James Fitzpatrick
