Rochdale Mayfield 22-10 York Acorn

Aidan Gleeson: Rochdale Mayfield 22-10 York Acorn

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Mayfield completed a comfortable win over dangerous, newly promoted opposition from York, scoring five quality tries in an accomplished performance on Saturday.

It was not a spectacular victory, but was marked as one to remember with four under 18s making their debuts for the first team in James McDaid, Munya Samanyanga, James Connaughton and Cameron Connolly.

Despite the wet conditions, both sides completed and traded the early sets well, until Mayfield kicked deep and Reece Carruth did the hard work to put pressure on the York player and gain possession on the visitor’s line. A couple of plays later wide passes found Jack Sampson out wide on the left and he sliced through to touch down. Sam Butterworth missed the conversion. 

Similar kick pressure again gave Mayfield possession again and Reece Carruth benefitted, crashing through on the left. Butterworth missed the conversion from out wide.

A towering bomb was dropped by the York fullback, and from the resultant scrum Mayfield scored with a blindside scrum play straight from the training ground that saw Sam Butterworth and Declan Sheridan put Rob Kershaw in, again on the left. Sam Butterworth couldn’t add the extras.

York pounded the Mayfield line with two repeat sets, but couldn’t find a way through the hard working Mayfield defence.

Mayfield got the ball back and finally broke out of their half with strong runs from forwards Aidan Gleeson, Mark Biggins and Liam Whalley. Quick play the balls gave space for the halves Chris Hough and Paul Brearley, and Jack Sampson took advantage to score. Butterworth missed another conversion.

Credit to York as they dug deep to defend a marauding Mayfield attack for 10 minutes after the restart, but finally the dam broke, as Sam Butterworth stabbed a kick through the defence for Jack Sampson to touch down and score his second try. Aidan Gleeson took over the kicking and was successful .

York kept trying and got two scores back in the final half hour, but Mayfield had too much on the board and in defence, and held their lead for a 22-10 victory and two league points.

Declan Sheridan and Jack Sampson were best for Mayfield.

All four under 18s got plenty of game time with solid efforts all round.

Mayfield turn their attention to the cup this weekend with what is certain to be a game to watch - a Conference Challenge Trophy Round Two clash with local rivals Saddleworth Rangers at Mayfield on Saturday - 2.30pm kick off.

Mayfield Team: Jack Sampson. Rob Kershaw, Matt Calland, Reece Carruth, Munya Samanyanga. Chris Hough, Sam Butterworth. Aidan Gleeson, Declan Sheridan, Seta Tala, Liam Whalley, Callum Marriott, Paul Brearley. Mark Biggins, James McDaid, Cameron Connolly, James Connaughton.