Preston Grasshoppers 29, Leicester Lions 0: Hoppers enjoy second whitewash of season

Match action from Preston Grasshoppers win over Leicester Lions
Photo:Mike Craig — Match action from Preston Grasshoppers win over Leicester Lions Photo:Mike Craig

Preston Grasshoppers kept their cool and their control to bag a last-minute four-try bonus point as they recorded the season’s second whitewash of a Leicestershire side.

This result bettered their 25-0 defeat of South Leicester before Christmas and left head coach Paul Arnold “really happy” as they consolidated ninth place in National League Two North.

“I told the lads I wanted five points and I told them at half-time I wanted five points and to ‘nil’ them,” he said after watching the game from an unusual vantage point on the roof of the clubhouse.

“Our discipline went a bit for 10 minutes at the end of the first half, the second half was a bit hit and miss and we lost a couple of line-outs. But we stuck to the game plan to use box kicks to put them under pressure.

“Our No.9 and No.10 James Gough and Tom Davidson controlled the game a lot better, but it was our defence that really won it; that was the key.”

Leicester Lions got off to the worst possible start, throwing an interception pass that allowed centre James Fitzpatrick to run half the length of the field for his eighth try of the campaign.

Davidson converted and quickly added a penalty for a 10-0 lead in even time.