South move off the relegation zone

The power and know how of the South forwards proved enough to defeat a spirited Preston side. The whole pack deserve the plaudits for this important win in difficult blustery conditions which played havoc with the line out and some of the longer passes. Kicking was proving difficult for both teams, the wind dictating their length.

Scrummaging is vital to winning a game and so it proved today. The front row of Rod McNaughton, Dale Ager and Dave Peck laid the foundations for the win, Preston even turning down a scrum in favour of a line out which indicates their dominance.

The first half was difficult due to the strong win but South upped their game forcing Preston to concede penalties and from one of these Ricky Aley found touch in the visitors 22.Tom Cheney rose high, won the line out and from the driving maul the ever present and tenacious Wes Cope went over for an unconverted try giving South a 5-0 HT lead.

It was more of the same in the second half but Preston were managing to contain the driving maul and they had some moments of pressure themselves with line outs in South's 22 but they couldn't make it pay. South Leicester soon hit back and following another dominating 5 metre scrum on the visitors line Chris Gibbs pounced for a try and Aley converted
Chris Gibbs was again involved when he broke from South's half made progress into Preston's 22,from the breakdown Ricky Aley set his backs away and Jacob Heath flew over in the corner. Ricky Aley added a difficult conversion which effectively sealed the result.