Rugby League: Mayfield preview

Mayfield's victorious side against Hunslet Parkside will be hoping for success again at Leigh

After last week’s cup final heroics, it could be difficult for Mayfield to raise their game, but that’s just what they will have to do on Saturday if they are to come back up the East Lancs Road with their play-off dream still intact.

Last week’s bruising encounter against Hunslet certainly took it out of the players, eighty minutes against a big side like that is enough to tire anyone.

Matt Calland and Sam Butterworth let the team rest until Wednesday before calling them in for training.

They will have a large squad to select from but Butterworth is still a major doubt with a hamstring strain.

Sam Butterworth said: “I’m not as young as I used to be, in fact to put that into perspective, last week’s half back pairing of Zac Baker and Zac Hartley have a combined age that is still younger than me. So I’ll just have to wait until Saturday and see how it feels but I’m not confident I’ll make it.”

All though this is a blow it will not deter Calland's men, they go into every game with confidence and will approach this one just the same.

If it was needed there is an extra motive for beating Miners and that is, this is where they went out in last year’s play-offs, after leading the game and arguably being the better side.

They will go into this game hoping to put that result behind them and move on to the semi’s proper.

The winner of this game will go on next week to play the losers of Saturday’s other game Siddal versus West Hull.

This will be a different game to last week's, with two similar minded sides who will go out to play open rugby and there should be tries aplenty for the anticipated large crowd to enjoy.

Last week saw Mayfield get caught up in a down the middle of the pitch battle which didn’t suit their style, on Miners' wide pitch supporters should see the best of their side.

Mayfield will go into the game as underdogs not having had the best of luck over recent years at Miners' Twist Lane ground, but will go into the game with the desire to win.

A win would be massive to the club and would see them on their way to their most successful season of the modern era.

The crowd at the Regional Arena last week was a little over 1,200, a record for the Conference Challenge Trophy and a large part of the crowd was Mayfield’s travelling faithful.

Club chairman Simon Howe said: “I would like to pass on my thanks to each and every one of the supporters who travelled to Manchester.

“These supporters really played their part in the victory spurring the side on when they needed it, as they have done all season.

“I hope the same people travel to Leigh and maybe with their help we can do the same and come home with the victory.”