After a fantastic 17-13 home victory against league strugglers Huddersfield, Preston Grasshoppers face a difficult test away to Macclesfield.
Macclesfield, who currently sit fourth in the National Division Three North subjected the Grasshoppers to 35 -14 defeat when they visited Lightfoot Green earlier in the season in a game which manager Alex Keay was disappointed to lose:
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“We were by far the best team on the field, we scored two good early tries and commanded the game until the last 20 minutes where they just ripped us apart.”
Keay was still disappointed however after their victory over Huddersfield at the weekend:
“Disappointed”
“We deserved to win the match and I’m pleased we did, but I’m still a bit disappointed with the performance, because we didn’t play well.
“But the conditions didn’t help and that’s why most of our points had to come off the boot. But I would love to see us play with a bit more flair; I like to see us running with the ball and ultimately making it more entertaining for the fans.”
The Grasshoppers’ only try of the match was scored by Phil Whyte, however it was club captain Darren Wilson who received high praise from Keay for his contribution to the try:
“Darren’s build up play was fantastic, different class even, he is playing magnificently at the moment and his contribution to the team is immense.”
Poor
Keay was very disappointed with the level of refereeing he and his team have been on the receiving end of lately after another poor decision from the referee in giving Lee Imiolek a yellow card 20 minutes before the end of the Huddersfield match:
“It was never a yellow card, he was the tackler in that situation is entitled to go for the ball. But yellow cards are just part and parcel of the game now and sometimes referees get big decisions wrong.”
The Grasshoppers will be without Whyte for the next few weeks after he suffered a fractured cheek bone against Huddersfield. John Peterson will also be out for the Macclesfield clash with an injured ankle. However Keay is hopeful that one or two of his long casualties may be able to pass fitness test during the week.
Risks
The boss would also like to see his team take more risks during games after been bored watching his team play last weekend:
“We are going to have to play better than we did last week to beat Macclesfield. We never looked like taking risks and we were always looking to kick the ball up field or turn it over. We need to be running at them and putting them under pressure”
The Grasshoppers opponents in the Lancashire Cup Final will also be decided tonight when Fylde take on Broughton in the semi final. Many Grasshoppers fans are calling for Keay to field a full strength squad in the final but he is prepared to stick by the players who have got him there:
“We have to give this Cup the respect it deserves but we have been playing a team which will develop our long term squad and they have been playing magnificently in every round and it would be harsh to drop them for the final.”
Will the Grasshoppers be victorious this weekend?
Leave your comments on their chances and my post below.
Macclesfield, who currently sit fourth in the National Division Three North subjected the Grasshoppers to 35 -14 defeat when they visited Lightfoot Green earlier in the season in a game which manager Alex Keay was disappointed to lose:
.jpg)
“We were by far the best team on the field, we scored two good early tries and commanded the game until the last 20 minutes where they just ripped us apart.”Keay was still disappointed however after their victory over Huddersfield at the weekend:
“Disappointed”
“We deserved to win the match and I’m pleased we did, but I’m still a bit disappointed with the performance, because we didn’t play well.
“But the conditions didn’t help and that’s why most of our points had to come off the boot. But I would love to see us play with a bit more flair; I like to see us running with the ball and ultimately making it more entertaining for the fans.”
The Grasshoppers’ only try of the match was scored by Phil Whyte, however it was club captain Darren Wilson who received high praise from Keay for his contribution to the try:
“Darren’s build up play was fantastic, different class even, he is playing magnificently at the moment and his contribution to the team is immense.”
Poor
Keay was very disappointed with the level of refereeing he and his team have been on the receiving end of lately after another poor decision from the referee in giving Lee Imiolek a yellow card 20 minutes before the end of the Huddersfield match:
“It was never a yellow card, he was the tackler in that situation is entitled to go for the ball. But yellow cards are just part and parcel of the game now and sometimes referees get big decisions wrong.”
The Grasshoppers will be without Whyte for the next few weeks after he suffered a fractured cheek bone against Huddersfield. John Peterson will also be out for the Macclesfield clash with an injured ankle. However Keay is hopeful that one or two of his long casualties may be able to pass fitness test during the week.
Risks
The boss would also like to see his team take more risks during games after been bored watching his team play last weekend:
“We are going to have to play better than we did last week to beat Macclesfield. We never looked like taking risks and we were always looking to kick the ball up field or turn it over. We need to be running at them and putting them under pressure”
The Grasshoppers opponents in the Lancashire Cup Final will also be decided tonight when Fylde take on Broughton in the semi final. Many Grasshoppers fans are calling for Keay to field a full strength squad in the final but he is prepared to stick by the players who have got him there:
“We have to give this Cup the respect it deserves but we have been playing a team which will develop our long term squad and they have been playing magnificently in every round and it would be harsh to drop them for the final.”
Will the Grasshoppers be victorious this weekend?
Leave your comments on their chances and my post below.
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