Undone at Preston

After a last minute switch the Littlemoor fixture was reversed back to Lightfoot green lane due to soggy conditions on the alternate pitch.
A strong squad arrived at hoppers tucked away on the far pitch facing a very unfamiliar looking preston 4s it was noted only the front row survived from the early season encounter.
The maroons received the kick off moving the ball well through the back line of bleasdale alongside the brothers white backed up by the young rob lee making his first start out on the wing all making great runs as the pack battle scarred, grisled and determined went to war. With the ever youthful thornber an bank on the flanks calling the shots at the scrum and big bad Ben tennant making the switch to the front row alongside the veteran jones and mighty hardman Ball was won both at scrum time and at the rucks, alas to no avail as hoppers struck first with an intercept followed by another by going the width of the pitch and back again.
After the traditional rollacking under the sticks the charge was mounted the kick not going ten scrum called for the maroon pack engaged grunted and pumped legs like pistons ball won by Jonesey much to the approval of thornber. The pack slowly started the rumble up the pitch before Connor brought the backs into play releasing Sam who caught the Rev Cheeseman with the sweetest of passes having switched out to his hidden talent of winger and straight As an arrow he ran all hoppers could do to put him into touch, now was the time for young Aidan walton to shine his line out jumping coming along leaps and bounds ball won and off the pack went mauling closer as the ref awarded a penalty try not coming through the gate or some such rule.
So to the second half with both thornbers making way for Mathew walton and forrest respectively and dan wallbank for rob lee , it started off much as the first half ended with the maroons dominating breaking the game line with every run saw sam dance ant dart his way through to go between the uprights.a couple of penalties saw hoppers back inside the maroon 22 nd with some direct lines by the big lads bagged another now was time to empty the bench off went the skipper for a breather on came young Nathan walton and the returning Adam Penney fresh from baby sitting duties. And of course John Harry pund to see out the game.
The first scrum with now an inexperienced engine room and flanks but under the guidance of happy Pete at 8 the pack never missed a step marching on. With games finishing on other pitches hoppers had a bench of their own to utilise and began to do so. With ten mins to go Aidan walton went for a rest bringing the skipper back on who very quickly was getting under the skin of one of the hoppers bench when the inevitable handbags started at the next breakdown let it be known the usual suspect of wensly who had a great game at full back starting the disturbance. And the resulting sun bin going the way of the hoppers new boy but was to be to no avail as hoppers ran in two more try’s to end the game 22-14. So another loss on the maroons cards sees them well and truly in a relegation dog fight lets see what the coming weeks can musta as the battle begins. Kk