By L Hammond
Huddersfield aim to keep to winning ways as they face fourth placed Stockport.
After securing victory in the first match after the agonising defeat to Rossendale, First Team Manager Lee Paxman is looking for his team to push on again this weekend: “We’re looking to build on the strength we showed last week against Sandal and in parts against Rossendale and hopefully secure a positive result.”
Both Huddersfield and Stockport were plying their trade in National League 2 North last season. Both clubs were relegated and now face each other this season but this time as potential promotion rivals in National League 3 North.
The sides from opposite sides of the Pennines enter this week’s fixture in contrasting form after Huddersfield and Stockport tackled local rivalries in the previous match weekend. Stockport hosted eighth placed Burnage and were held to a 22 -22 draw.
Field travelled to fifth placed Sandal who are led by their former Director of Rugby, Mark Sowerby. A magnificent Tom Owen Hat-Trick eased Huddersfield to a 35-19 victory and re-ignited their promotion charge.
If Huddersfield win this week they can cut the gap on the league leaders Rossendale to four points and Paxman is keen to keep in touch with the league leaders heading into the winter fixtures: “We know the matches get more difficult with the conditions worsening and we are keen to keep winning and ensure we don’t fall off the pace.”
Huddersfield name an unchanged forward pack from the one that overpowered Sandal last weekend with Paxman keen to keep his effective forward pack together: “ It’s great to get a level of consistency in selection, with consistency comes greater understanding and to a degree a greater control of the set piece and more accuracy in our forward play.”
In the backs Giles Hetherington replaces Tom Hodson at Fly-Half after an impressive second half performance against Sandal. Hodson is moved to Full Back and Elliot Hodgson returns on the wing to partner last week’s opening try scorer Michael Clarke with Jack Moon dropping to the bench where he is joined by Second Row Nick Rhodes who replaces Ross Thornton.
The match will be a 2.15pm kick off at Lockwood Park (rather than the previously billed 3:00pm) with attendance free to all minors under the age of 16.
Away from Lockwood Park, after toppling table toppers Old Brodleians 16-3, the Huddersfield Falcons face another top of the table clash as they face second placed Sheffield Medicals. The match is a 3:00pm Kick off with all fans of the club who can make the journey to Sheffield encouraged to do so and support the Falcons.
Team selections:
Hudd 1st XV vs Stockport
1. Alex Battye
2. Ben Morrill
3. Anthony Stringwell
4. Gavin Rhodes
5. George Hinchliff
6. Gareth Lewis
7. Ben Hoyle
8. Nick Sharpe (C)
9. Joel Hincliffe
10. Giles Hetherington
11. Michael Clark
12. Tom Owen
13. Ben Mitchell
14. Elliot Hodgson
15. Tom Hodson
Subs:
16. Nick Rhodes
17. Laurence Sanderson
18. Jack Moon
Hudd Falcons vs Sheffield Medicals 2nd XV
1. Takis Kalogeropoulos
2. Jack Bryson
3. Jack Smith
4. Edward Birkhead
5. Gareth Lewis Jnr
6. Bob Sykes
7. Henry Ward
8. Ross Thornton
9. Ross Baggs
10. William Brian
11. Elliott Knight
12. Thomas Van Rooyen
13. Howard Hanks
14. Adam Sutcliffe
15. Olly Scrimshaw
16. Billy Dempsey
17. Joah Bradley
18. Joe Kaye
