Rugby League: Myton Warriors 27 - 26 Rochdale Mayfield

Rochdale Mayfield

For the second time in as many games, Mayfield came away from Hull without the spoils, again falling by less than one score against a team they should probably have beaten - and would have done had their last minute 'try' not been disallowed in controversial circumstances.

Mayfield defended the first set well, but perhaps setting the tone for the afternoon, an error on first tackle by Kieran Harmer gifted Myton possession and they exposed poor numbering up on Mayfield's right to score a try from simple passing. 

Mayfield again defended well for good field position and finished their next possession with a grubber on the line, again a needless penalty relieved the pressure.

Mayfield had the best of the territory and a Wayne English offload found Lewis Sheridan in space on the Myton try line but he inexplicably missed out two attackers, when short passes or dummy would have resulted in a score, and passed into touch.

Strong defence from Mayfield then forced another drop from Myton, but Lewis Sheridan over ran a short side pass when the open side was wide open.

Myton took advantage of this good fortune and after a simple exit set scored from half way through their fleet-footed stand- off.

Mayfield conceded three penalties and Myton converted the last.

Mayfield had nothing to show for their positional dominance until Wayne English took advantage of wide hands from the hard-working Lewis Ainley and Paul Brearley, to score on left.

Bouyed by this Mayfield sparked into life and cut out the errors and charged to the line where Seta Tala scored off a neat inside ball from Declan Sheridan. With two Chris Hough conversions, it was 14-12 at half time.

Aidy Gleeson returned the restart with an almost unstoppable drive to halfway, Seta Tala followed his lead, and smashed into the Myton half. Gleeson took another drive to 15 out and Tala the next,offloading to Wayne English who chipped over into the in goal and touched down for his second. Chris Hough missed the conversion.

Mayfield had a let off as Myton's last pass was forward on a certain try wide on the right.

From the resultant scrum debutant James McDaid cut through the Myton defence and outpaced the full back to score a fine Chris Hough converted try.

In successive plays, Mayfield kicked straight into touch, Seta Tala threw the ball away instead of playing it, Lewis Sheridan gave a penalty for mouthing and Aidy Gleeson chipped on the last and Myton's number nine gathered on half way line, skipped through and off loaded to score a converted try.

It looked a shaky lead but Mayfield recovered the restart and three plays later Declan Sheridan darted from acting half back and found James McDaid on a great line at pace to score. Chris Hough's goal that looked to be over was ruled out by the touch judge.

Myton pressed  and Declan Sheridan found himself defending in the centre position and was run over and the try left the game finely balanced at 26-26.

In the next set Myton worked for drop goal and got it for an unlikely 27-26 lead.

With just three minutes left Mayfield refused to give up and James Shaw, Liam Whalley and Sean Mulcahy smashed downfield to the line. Declan Sheridan jumped out from acting half back and found brother Lewis in a gap and he dived over to 'score' what would be the match winning try. However, as the referee and nearest touch judge were about to award the try, the far side official, some 40 metres away, ruled the pass forward and broke Mayfield hearts.

The whistle signalled the end and whilst Mayfield had nothing to show for their, at times, outstanding rugby, simple errors and indiscipline cost them the game.

Mayfield Team:  Wayne English. Munya Samanyanga, James McDaid, Matty Chrimes, Keiran Harmer. Zac Baker, Lewis Sheridan. Aidy Gleeson, Lewis Ainley, Seta Tala, Liam Whalley, Chris Hough, Paul Brearley. Declan Sheridan, Simon Moore, Sean Mulcahy, James Shaw.