Macc Away for 1st XV

Date: 10 December 2013

Hoppers travel to Cheshire this coming Saturday to renew acquaintances with old adversaries Macclesfield who had been playing in National 1 since their promotion in 2010 before relegation struck at the end of last season.

Will he or won't he? - Phil Baines' leap for the line last Saturday against Caldy.

Will he or won’t he? – Phil Baines’ leap for the line last Saturday against Caldy.

After two successive defeats, Head Coach Michael Lough rings the changes for the trip to Macclesfield and can still field a strong squad of players which is testament to the depth of talent at Preston Grasshoppers.

Mo Mustafa, Tom McGuinness, Joab Murphy, Chris Taylor, Andy Napier, Karl Fitzpatrick and Anthony Elliott all get a starting place, whilst Eddie Webster and Will Lees take a turn on the bench.

1 Mo Mustafa, 2 Phil Mills, 3 Tom McGuinness, 4 Joab Murphy, 5 Sam Wallbank, 6 Chris Taylor, 7 Andy Napier, 8 Dominic Moon (Captain), 9 Sam Kindred, 10 Karl Fitzpatrick, 11 Anthony Elliott, 12 Jack Ward, 13 Phil Baines, 14 Adam Birchall, 15 Lewis Allen.

Replacements:

16 Oga Mabaya, 17 Alan Holmes, 18, Eddie Webster, 19 Will Lees, 20 Craig Aikman.

The Priory Lane club sit top of the table at present with just one defeat against their name at the hands of Birmingham Solihull just a few weeks ago. Hoppers will have noted this and also the fact they were very competitive against the Midlanders just one week later.

The two teams last met in National 2 North action during 2009/10 when on their way to promotion, Macclesfield were victorious both home and away.

Competitive games between the two clubs go back to 1993 when the first meeting took place at Lightfoot Green on the 6th of November, Hoppers taking the spoils eighteen points to ten.

There have been seventeen meetings between the two clubs at First Team level, nine wins to Preston Grasshoppers and seven to Macclesfield with one game drawn thirty six all. Victories in league fixtures has the advantage to Macclesfield by six to five who have also won the last four encounters.

With Hoppers undefeated second fifteen also being entertained by Macclesfield at Priory Park there will be a strong contingent from Preston making their way to Cheshire for what is hoped a successful afternoon.

Fixtures for Hoppers other senior sides this coming weekend;

Hoppers 2 vs. Macclesfield 2 (Away)

Hoppers 3 vs. De La Salle 2 (Home)

Hoppers 4 vs. BAE Warton 1 (Away)

Hoppers 5 vs. Bolton 3 (Home)

From a picture taken in 2010 in the game against Macclesfield, can you name the backsides???

From a picture taken in 2010 in the game against Macclesfield, can you name the backsides???

Photograph Courtesy of Mike Craig

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