Kendal vs. Preston Grasshoppers – Kick Off 3pm
Hoppers make the short trip to Mint Bridge this coming Saturday, a trek which has been made to the Cumbrian town for well over a century. The first time was back in 1872, albeit not to the current incumbents of the Kendal Rugby Club title.
Fixtures against today’s opponents began in their inaugural season back in 1906 with a three-all-draw at our Riverside Ground before the return fixture at Maude’s Meadow resulted in a victory to the home team. This weekend’s game at Mint Bridge will be the 104th between the two old clubs, the 50th in Kendal. Hoppers have found victories on their travels to this particular part of Cumbria hard to come by, this Saturday’s challenge promises to be no different. If successful, it would be only their ninth, although it has to be said, victories have been more frequent in recent years, the last being two seasons ago.
The season hasn’t started too well for Kendal, a home defeat at the hands of National 1 Wharfedale in a pre-season game, losing at home to Luctonians on the opening day followed by another defeat at Nuneaton last week. So it’s fair to say they’ll be looking to kick start their season with a victory against Hoppers, who in turn will be hoping to build on an impressive performance against a strong Caldy team.
Don’t forget next Saturday you can watch the England vs. Argentina World Cup game at Hoppers, then have a hearty Brunch before taking the 1869 Club coach to Kendal, all for Just £15. Contact the office for more details or add your name to the list on the Notice board. Supporters wishing to simply travel by coach to Kendal can also add their names to the list. The cost of this presently stands at £10 but depending on numbers this may be reduced.
Link to ground directions if your not travelling on the 1869 Club coach can be found here.
For those supporters not travelling to watch the Firsts, there’s a selection games being played at Lightfoot Green, why not come along and take a look. There will also be food available, and of course the bar’s open.
Hoppers 2nds vs. Caldy 2
Hoppers 3rds vs. Aldwinians 2
Hoppers 4ths vs. De La Salle
Next Sunday sees our Senior Colts take on Rossendale at Lightfoot Green with a 2pm Kick Off time. Come along and support our up and coming 1st teamers!
Our next home game on the 17th of September sees the First XV entertain Leicester Lions, one of the pre-season title favourites who have started the season with surprisingly poor results.
Hoppers Team News:
Sean Taylor, Phil Baines, Karl Fitzpatrick, Tom Hughes, Matt Hughes, Graham Holroyd, Nathan Fowles, Andy Irving, Alan Martindale, Mark Irving, Ali Atkinson, Mark Rigbye, Mark Philips, Matt Charters Capt, Dominic Moon,
Replacements:
Russ Flynn, Mark Edwards Phil Mills, Chris Lowden, Killian Wallace
Kendal Team News:
There are two changes to last Saturday’s squad – Mark Bowman has injured his knee, and Garry Holmes comes in, and Simon Mulholland returns for his first outing of the season on the replacements’ bench.
1 Dries Venter, 2 Duncan Green, 3 Richard Harryman, 4 Liam Hayton (capt), 5 Reece Tomlinson, 6 Dan White, 7 Joe Mallinson, 8 Garry Holmes, 9 Simon Davidson, 10 Mark Ireland, 11 Ian Voortman, 12 Dave Barton, 13 Leo Mercer, 14 Kris Bratton, 15 Dan Lowther
Replacements: 16 James Hesketh, 17 Matty Houghton, 18 Danny Redhead, 19 Ben Alderson, 20 Simon Mulholland
Kendal old boys Charters and Martindale will be looking to put one over their old team-mates, as Hoppers look to build on the considerable improvement shown last week against a strong Caldy team. They won’t want to slip back to the mediocre start to the season made at Loughborough.
The league’s joint top try scorer, Matt Hughes will be as keen to add to his total as much as namesake Tom (who has been closely watched by defenders so far this season) will be in adding to his tally for the club.
Back in Time:
Looking back ten years Hoppers opponents on this corresponding weekend saw us making the short trip to Orrell in what was then a National 2 (Level 3) fixture. The home supporters were celebrating the arrival of one Dave Whelan from neighbours Wigan RL. How they wish the clock could be turned back! Going back another ten years sees a home fixture against Rugby (now Rugby Lions) whose “fortunes” this season appear to be on an upward curve. Hopefully they aren’t in the process of “Doing an Orrell”. Look back a further ten and we were making the short trip to Moss Lane and a fixture against St Helens who shortly afterwards amalgamated with the old Liverpool Club. Yet another riches to rags story! For the record we lost 16-26 at Orrell, 8-32 versus Rugby but had a comprehensive victory, 28-0 at Moss Lane.
