Rugby league: Mayfield 10 - 6 Hunslet

The game between Mayfield and Hunslet on Saturday 13 May was billed as the NCL game of the day and it certainly lived up to that billing.

"The best game I've ever seen" and "an all-time classic" were just two of the terms used to describe the spectacle by some of those watching. It was an absolutely fantastic game of rugby league and would have graced any arena.

Luckily it was at the Mayfield Sports Centre and the large crowd who attended were treated to a game that will live in their memories for a long time.

In perfect conditions, the game got off to a great start with both sides showing they weren't in the mood for allowing tries in, the defence was absolutely amazing from both sides.

Mayfield showed a little more endeavour early on and looked the better team, despite their opponents' unbeaten start to their season. Mayfield kicked off into the bright sunlight and proceeded to sicken the Hunslet attack with the strength of their tackling.

First in was Luke Fowden and Jack McConnachie. Hunslet were going nowhere, then the Long brothers and Seta Tala joined in and Hunslet were going backwards, they were rock solid.

When Hunslet did break, in-form fullback Jordan Parr was in no mood to allow tries in. With only five minutes gone, Mayfield were unlucky not to open the scoring after a Sean Penkywicz kick-through was narrowly missed by Travis Long.

Hunslet started imposing theirselves into the game and when Mayfield conceded a penalty on the halfway line which ended up on the Mayfield try line the signs were ominous, but once again the ferocious Mayfield defence refused to yield and they forced the error as Hunslet crossed the line.

Mayfield's front row of Fowden, Penky and Dave Mills was superb during this spell, not allowing Hunslet to get a foothold while slowly regaining the upper hand for their team.

With fifteen minutes gone, Mayfield were unlucky not to open the scoring.

Great work from James McDaid and Kristian McVeigh drew the defence in, then Dev Long and Sam Wright quickly moved the ball left to Parr whose speculative pass just failed to find its target.

Two minutes later, camped on the Hunslet line, Penkywicz put in a delicate grubber from acting half and Fowden, showing great awareness shot through to touch down, Parr added the two, 6 - 0.

The game was end-to-end with both sides creating scoring chances and both defences snubbing them out. Hunslet went close with a great scrum play but a crunching tackle from Trav Long dislodged the ball.

Mayfield then went close after Wright collected his own bomb but the final pass went to ground. The crowd were loving this, Dec Sheridan had joined the fray and his little breaks from the play of the ball were frustrating Hunslet, the pace of the game was unreal showing what a fantastic game rugby league is.

Hunslet thought they were going to narrow the gap with 10 minutes to half time as their flying winger set off down the line - but they forgot about the impeccable Wayne English, who pulled off a superb text book tackle, taking his opposite number into touch.

Hunslet probably sneaked the last 10 minutes of the first half as they piled the pressure on Mayfield, but Mayfield held firm. Isaac Reid and Nick Hargreaves were working overtime in defence now and the pace was relentless.

If the visitors had managed to score in this period, it could have been a different story but Mayfield held them out with 10 minutes of superb defending. 

 

 

The second half saw the reintroduction of Penkywicz to steady the ship; this worked to a degree but Mayfield just couldn't retake control.

The game was well-balanced for the next 20 minutes as both sides gave it their all as they tried to get the next score.

For the first time in the game, Mayfield gave away repeat penalties which took Hunslet from halfway to the Mayfield 10. This put them under massive pressure and finally, Hunslet managed to breach the rock-solid blue and white wall as their hooker darted over from half back, the conversion made it 6 - 6.

The next few minutes were absolutely crucial to the outcome as Mayfield put the restart out on the full, allowing Hunslet the opportunity to regain an attacking position, but they failed to do that as their attempt failed to find touch.

McVeigh brought the ball back and, two drives later, the Hunslet winger failed to collect a Sheridan kick, leaving Mayfield deep in their half.

This spurred them on and they immediately put the pressure back on the Hunslet defence.

Seta Tala and Joe Taira were immense in this period. Brilliant breaks from Sheridan, Wright and Dev Long saw Mayfield camped on the try line but the defence was holding firm. Superb rugby saw Jordan Parr cross the line but he was adjudged to be held up.

Hunslet fetched the ball away only to be rocked back by Dave Mills, Tala and Fowden. Mayfield again found good position through Tolhurst and McDaid; they moved the ball to the right where Sheridan created space and found Travis Long, who, with two men in the tackle, still found the perfect pass to the supporting winger McVeigh. 

McVeigh finished the move in Super League style as he dived over by the flag, Parr just failed with the touchline conversion, 10 - 6 with 6 minutes left.

The large crowd were going wild but they soon went quiet as Mayfield then failed to gather the restart resulting in a drop-out and possession back for Hunslet.

The tension was palpable as they drove at the Mayfield line. Within a couple of minutes, the Hunslet stand-off put the second rower over, hearts stopped in the stands until the referee adjudged he was held up by a brilliant tackle from Sheridan and Tolhurst.

Mayfield fetched the ball away and a brilliant kick and chase on the last saw McVeigh pin Hunslet in their 10.

They repeated Mayfield's attempt and their kick on the last tackle was brilliantly taken by Wright, who broke up field and was inches away from scoring, his foot went in touch. This was the last action as the referee blew his whistle and Hunslet's unbeaten run was over, the points were Mayfield's, and deservedly so.

This was a fantastic game of rugby league: it had everything - power, pace skill, drama, defence and attack.

The Hunslet coach opted for the two centres as his man of the match saying he just couldn't split them because they were so good.

The man of the match awards chosen by the sponsors were Wayne English, chosen by Ladies Day on the Balcony Bar while Ace Electrical and The Benidorm Boys went for Jordan Parr.