Rugby League: Hunslet Club Parkside 30 – 0 Rochdale Mayfield

Mayfield travelled to top of the Kingstone Press National Conference League Premier Division, unbeaten Hunslet Club Parkside on Saturday in hope of a good performance that could turn their own season around but came away without the points.

The hosts showed a great brand of controlled aggression and fierce attack to score 30 unanswered points despite Mayfield being, in parts competitive.

The teams traded sets at the start but, setting a pattern for the game, Hunslet took advantage of loose Mayfield play – charging down a Callum Ogden clearing kick to get possession on the line with only a great tackle from James Shaw stopping the fast and strong attack.

Mayfield took heart and were winning the territorial battle and looking likely to open the scoring. First Zak Baker was penalised for a ball strip after a good tackle, then his short pass that put Aiden Gleeson into the clear was adjudged forward.

With 20 minutes gone the scores were locked at nil nil, but as Mayfield tried to pressure the Hunslet kicker on the last, he hacked it high downfield and benefitted from a wicked bounce that beat the otherwise flawless Wayne English and yielded a repeat set.

A Hunslet forward crashed over to open the scoring at 6-0.

Lewis Butterworth couldn’t take another high kick and despite his recovering effort conceding just a drop out, on the next play Hunslets huge prop forward barged over from close range.

As half time approached and Mayfield attacked the line to go into the break on a high.

The Mayfield forwards got the team into the hosts 20 metre zone and hit the line but were repelled by good defence until on the last Lewis Sheridan dollied a kick to the right corner and the home winger caught it uncontested and raced 60 metres downfield.

Luke Fowden showed great spirit to chase him down, but Hunslet passed to the middle of the pitch and benefitted to a suspiciously forward pass to score again for 18-0 at half time. 

The second half started with Mayfield repelling a strong Hunslet attack on the tryline and the game became scrappy as both teams made changes and suffered dismissals.

Cole Connolly tried hard at halfback but when Liam Whalley was forced from the field through injury; Hunslet time and again exploited the weakened rightside of the Mayfield defence.

Jack Sampson took a crossfield kick to earn a penalty, but the advantage was lost when a Callum Ogden kick on the second tackle gave up possession and Hunslet used simple passes to their left to score.

Lewis Sheridan conceded a defensive penalty on the last tackle and Hunslet again used simple hands to round Mayfield’s right-hand side and score the last try of the day.

Mayfield tried hard to prevent the whitewash, but it wasn’t to be and the game ended with a 30 point margin.

Mayfield now have a week off to regather, and with nine games of the season remaining, still have all to play for.

Mayfield Team: Wayne English. Lewis Butterworth, Liam Whalley, Brandon Wood, Jack Sampson, Lewis Sheridan, Cole Connolly, Mark Biggins, Callum Ogden, James Shaw, Zac Baker, Luke Fowden, Callum Marriott, Declan Sheridan, Aiden Gleeson, Josh Watson, Nick Hargreaves.