Millom 18 - 32 Mayfield

Gareth Ellison

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Mayfield continued their impressive season with another comfortable win at Millom on Saturday. A spirited Millom side put up a strong defence but Mayfield just proved to good for them.

In conditions that were more like March than August both sides started slowly with Millom striking the fist blow with a converted try on five minutes after Mayfield failed to hit their stride.

Sam Butterworth and Paul Brearley tried to organise the team but there seemed to be a reluctance to stick to any sort of game plan.

Joe Qanuici was punching holes in the line with Matty Moores and Nick Hargreaves also running strongly. Todd O'Brien followed Qanuici on one of his breaks forcing the quick play the ball and finding the impressive Matt Calland with a crisp pass to put him over for a try converted by Butterworth.

Mayfield settled into a pattern and although the rugby didn't exactly flow it was too much for Millom as Liam Whalley and Brearley both sliced through the defence creating problems for the home side.

Whalley's strong running set up Hargreaves who managed to force his way over the line depite the attention of four tacklers. Butterworth converted.

A scrappy spell followed and Mayfield stepped off the gas allowing Millom to pressure their line and when their second row took a quick tap after being awarded a penalty the referee allowed the try despite the fact that he was still talking to the defence.

The incensed Mayfield side upped their game with Whalley and the two young forwards Niall Bradley and Gareth Ellison leading the way with some powerful runs and equally strong defence.

Si Moore was next on the score sheet as he proved too strong for Millom to hold as he increased his sides lead. Butterworth again converted.

Butterworth added a magnificent 40 metre penalty on the stroke of half time.

Half time: Millom 12 - 20 Mayfield

Mayfield coach, Matt Calland read the riot act at half time as he willed the team to up their game; this had an immediate effect as from the kick off Calland and Rob Kershaw combined to allow Qanuici to burst the line and go 30 metres for the score. Butterworth converted.

Not wanting to go down without a fight Millom again fought back and were rewarded when, after a spell of good rugby, their full back managed to squeeze in for a converted try.

With only 12 minutes gone of the second half, Qanuici rounded off the scoring with his second, converted by Butterworth - another perfect day with the boot for the evergreen Sam Butterworth.

Both sides tried to add to their scores but to no avail with both sets of defenders working hard to keep their opposite numbers at bay.

The score didn't really reflect Mayfield's superiority in the game but it was reflective of the effort put in by the Millom defence against a strong, if somewhat disorganised Mayfield performance. 

Hargreaves and Calland had good games in the backs while Moore, Moores, Bradley and Whalley stood out in the forwards with Aidan Gleeson and Liam Whalley taking the Man-of-the-Match awards.

Mayfield Team: Seta Tala, Rob Kershaw, Matt Calland, Nick Hargreaves, Komai Nualamatua, Paul Brearley, Sam Butterworth, Gareth Ellison, Todd O'Brien, Matty Moores, Liam Whalley, Wayne Corcoran, Joe Qanuici, Dec Sheridan, Aidan Gleeson, Si Moore, Niall Bradley.