Rugby: Preston Lodge ready for title showdown with Orkney

The Pennypit men are 16 points clear of their rivals, who could yet overhaul them with victories in their games in hand.

However, a bonus-point win of any description for Preston Lodge would be enough to see them virtually guaranteed to be named league winners due to their superior points difference.

Jack Gordon, captain of the county side, told Courier Sport that it would “mean the world” to guide his hometown club to the league title.

He said: “My family always played for Preston Lodge, both on my mum and my dad’s side.

“I know what it means and my family comes along to watch the games.

“It would be absolutely huge, I know that for a fact.

“It would mean the world to me to captain a group of my best mates and people I have grown up with to the title.

“It would mean everything to me.”

Jack Gordon is hoping to captain Preston Lodge to league glory

Preston Lodge have only tasted defeat once this term and that came against this weekend’s opponents.

Orkney, who have also lost on just one occasion, were 28-24 winners when the teams met back in September.

However, for much of the campaign, it has been Preston Lodge – who travel to Dumfries Saints in their final game of the season – leading the way at the top of National League Division Three.

Saturday brought another important win for Gordon and his team-mates as they defeated fourth-place Allan Glen’s 41-17.

That came after another big win, trouncing Hamilton Bulls 62-19, seven days earlier.

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Twenty-six-year-old Gordon stressed that they had guarded against any slip-ups throughout the season.

He said: “We are looking ahead to this weekend but we are the kind of team where we have taken every game as a cup final.

“We know Orkney have been right on our tails and us on theirs at times this season.

“This week against Allan Glen’s, we took that just as seriously as every other game. It was no different.

“I think the big word this year has been ‘complacency’. Any time we have struggled has been down to complacency.

“Ever since that game up in Orkney, we have concentrated on one game at a time.”

Gordon, who works as a sports development officer in East Lothian, was part of the side that was relegated under league reconstruction last year.

A last-day defeat to Berwick cost Preston Lodge, who finished eighth, their place in the third tier of Scottish rugby.

The back-row said that had hurt but that they were now looking to deliver a league title for the community to celebrate.

Ahead of last weekend’s game, he said: “A massive factor behind our success this year has been the togetherness between the club and the community.

“The connection between the players, coaches, volunteers and supporters has been special.

“We’ve got two home games left and we’d love to see the Pennypit packed for both.

“I cannot emphasise enough how important your support is to the lads so please keep it going for the remaining games.”