National League 2 North review
JAN
Westoe missed the opportunity to close in on Loughborough Students at the top of the SSE National Two North table after an error- strewn display at Nuneaton. Mark Bedworth scored
all fourteen of Westoe’s points by converting both of his own tries, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Shieldsmen from slipping to a shock 18-14 defeat at Liberty Way. Caldy, however,
grabbed the chance to take advantage of Huddersfield’s top- of- the- table clash with the Students being postponed due to a frozen pitch with a bonus- point victory at Otley to move up
to second place. Harrogate v Hull and Luctonians v Sheffield Tigers were also postponed.
Preston Grasshoppers kept in the hunt for the second promotion place after winning at home to Bromsgrove. ‘Hoppers took maximum points from the match, with three of their four
tries going to the pack, which bucks the trend this season. Three- quarters of attack- minded Preston’s tries this season have come, rather appropriately, from the three- quarters, but
on Saturday it was flanker Conor Murphy who stole the show with a brace of tries, while tight- head prop Richard Morton and full- back Sean Taylor got the other two scores in the
32-19 victory.
Only two other games survived the cold snap with Hull Ionians scoring six tries to breeze passed Kendal, while Joshua Longmore proved the difference for Stockport at home to
Leicester Lions. Fly- half Longmore scored one try, which he converted himself, and added the extras onto two other scores, as well landing two penalties for good measure.
