Field looking for three in a row against Macc

AT TOP OF THE TABLE

THE first home game of the new year for Huddersfield sees a visit of Macclesfield to Lockwood Park as they look for a third successive victory in National League Two North.

And in Ma c c l e s f i e l d , they come up against a side they have already beaten this season, when they managed to get a first league win at Priory Park.

The Blues will be disappointed with their season so far as they sit second bottom in the league with just four wins all year, and lie 14 points away from safety while failing to notch up an away day win so far.

Macc’s issue is clear – shipping points.

Defensively they have the worst record in the league having 542 points scored against them, although they have claimed some big scalps.

Beating Fylde, Otley and Hinckley shows they have it in them to step up to big opposition.

Field head coach Gareth Lewis says he is well aware of Ma c c l e s f i e l d’s abilities.

He said: “Ma c c l e s f i e l d are a good team who we must respect. They have dangerous half-backs and a strong set-piece game, so we are National League 2

WDLF AP 17 14 0 3 461 369 12 0 5 402 282 11 1 5 466 360 11 1 5 457 3 59

Otley 17 11 0 6 358 3 37 52 Sedgley Park 17 8 0 9 46 9 436 46 Preston G 17 7 0 10 433 450 46 Tynedale 16 7 1 8 43 9 432 41 Leicester Lions 17 7 1 9 413 410 41 SheffieldTigers 17 6 1 10 448 428 41 Stourbridge 17 7 0 10 484 506 40 Wharfedale 16 7 0 9 380 372 39 South Leicester 17 5 1 11 396 53 0 31 Macclesfield 17 4 0 13 334 542 25 Peterborough L 16 31 12 256 480 19 expecting a very tough encounter once again.”

And on the back of momentous away day Lancashire last week when Field beat Preston Grasshoppers 27-22, Lewis believes his players are confident.

He said: “Last week was an excellent performance and we can take confidence from it.

“However, we still feel we left two or three tries out there, so we’ve challenged ourselves to be better in training this week.”

The side that staved off Grasshoppers’ advances is largely unchanged barring a swap apiece in the backs and the forwards.

Joe Green replaces Jack Maplesden at scrum-half, while Alex Battye starts in the front row after his try-scoring exploits, replacing Harry Whitfield.

A win would keep Field within the close pack, from second down to sixth, which is separated by just nine points.

And as we keep seeing week-on-week, there are eye-catching results. The league leaders Hull host Midlands outfit Hinckley who sit fourth, while Chester receive a visit from Sheffield Tigers, looking to reverse their defeat to Leicester Lions last week. Fylde themselves play Lions at home, while there are a couple of potentially mouth-watering ties elsewhere. Otley and Wharfedale go toe-to-toe in a Yorkshire derby, while Sedgley Park and Preston clash at Park Lane.

Macclesfield are a good team who we have to

respect. They have dangerous half-backs

Tom Hodson, Kian Stewart, Mark Pease, Will Milner, Lewis Workman, Chris Johnson, Joe Green; Alex Battye, Fran Entressengle, Adam Blades, Guy Borrowdale, Nick Sharpe, Ross Thornton, Lewis Bradley, Dickie Piper(C).

Harry Whitfield, Liam Parfitt, Matt Dunn, Jack Maplesden, Elliot Knight.