Preston Grasshoppers eye early Christmas party with win over arch-rivals Fylde
The latest derby day rounds off 2024 for Preston Grasshoppers when Fylde make the short hop to Lightfoot Green tomorrow for the first of the season’s reverse fixtures before the two-week festive break.
The hosts will be desperate to turn round their recent run of defeats – four in a row after last Saturday’s late loss at Lymm.
But clashes with Fylde are never easy and the visitors are in fourth place in National League Two North after their last-ditch victory over Wharfedale last weekend ended a two-game losing run.
Fylde have won eight out of 12, while Hoppers slipped to 10th with Saturday’s eighth defeat, to go with four victories and one draw.
Hoppers head coach Dan Orwin said his side put in a much better performance at Lymm, but was disappointed and frustrated that they again couldn’t close out a game from a winning position.
With Greg Smith back at fly-half after a week resting his knee injury, Hoppers switch selection around in the back line in a bid to “mix things up a bit”. Sammy Russell reverts to centre, where he is partnered by Ed Keohane, and Jacob Browne moves out to the wing.
In a dramatic finish at Ansdell in September, Fylde snatched victory 22-20 with a stoppage-time try, coolly converted by Patrick Bishop who kept his nerve equally impressively last Saturday to kick the winning penalty against Wharfedale.
As usual, Fylde will field plenty of players familiar with wearing the Hoppers shirt; there were no fewer than six members of last week’s matchday 20 who have played for both clubs, as have Hoppers’ Smith and Russell.
Having won two and drawn one of their last three fixtures in Regional Two NorthWest, Vale of Lune have moved up to fourth place as they head to Crewe and Nantwich tomorrow.
The Cheshire side are ninth, having won four and lost seven, compared to Vale’s seven victories, one draw and four defeats. Crewe lost 10-22 at Powderhouse Lane earlier in the campaign. Vale have Jordan Fern back on the wing and Damon Hall returns at full-back.
Hoppers: Hamilton; Spence, Keohane, Russell, Browne; Smith, O’Donnell; Parkinson, Holden, Hill, Causey, Murray, Willetts, Longson, Richardson. Reps: W Williams, Wilkinson, Naylor, Norrington, Brand. Vale: D Hall; Murrell, Ramwell, Bolton, Fern; Silverwood, Batty; Fowler, Powers, Pillow, Fellows, Oyston, S Wallbank, Goodman, Ayrton. reps: Sutcliffe, Briggs, Leighton.