Mayfield 49 – 24 Wigan St Patricks

Photo: Aidy Gleeson

Todd O'Brien and Eric Johnson, Mayfield 49 – 24 Wigan St Pats

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This was the proverbial game of two halves as Myfield demolished Wiagn St Patricks at Mayfield Sports Centre on Saturday.

St Patricks started off like the table topping side they were, playing with pace and skill. Mayfield struggled to keep up with them as they ran in two tries to take a twelve point lead.

Despite being behind Mayfield never panicked and stuck to the task in front of them.

Paul Brearley started the fight back with his probing runs and defence splitting passes. It was one of these runs that provided the opportunity for the rampaging Joe Quanici to crash over for his side's first score. Converted by Lewis Sheridan. 

Quanici, Seta Tala and Rob Kershaw put in a good defensive stint to stop St Patricks getting back on the score sheet. The whole side seemed to lift as though they suddenly realised they were the best side on the pitch.

The coaching duo of Sam Butterworth and Matt Calland put on a show for the spectators with some brilliant attacking play.

Hard work from Callum Marriott provided position for Quanici, who again proved unstoppable as he grabbed his second. 10 – 12 and Mayfield were back in the game.

Mayfield continued applying the pressure to the St Patricks line and were unlucky on more than one occasion not to cross the whitewash.

With just minutes to go to half time St Patricks broke away against the run of play and their powerful centre extended the lead with a converted try.

Half time 10 – 18

Whatever Calland and Butterworth said in the dressing room during the break worked wonders as Mayfield put in a second half performance to grace any stadium.

The rout started almost immediately as St Patricks conceded a penalty from the kick off Mayfield moved the ball quickly and a perfect pass from Butterworth found Eric Johnson on a brilliantly timed run and he made it to the line for the first of Mayfield’s seven second half tries.

There then followed twenty minutes of breathtaking rugby with another four Mayfield tries coming from Paul Brearley, Rob Kershaw, Sean Mulcahy and the best of the lot from Dec Sheridan after a fifty metre Callum Marriott break and slick one handed offload.

The Sheridan brothers ripped holes in the St Patricks defence every time they touched the ball. The Mayfield pack were awesome, with Sean Mulcahy having his best game of the season and Gaz Ellison making his presence felt all over the pitch.

St Patricks just couldn’t live with the pace Mayfield were setting and when Calland put a kick through on the last they couldn’t stop Dec Sheridan as he picked up the ball and went through two would be tacklers for his second score. Converted by Lewis.

The crowd again went wild it was a real party atmosphere, even more so when direct from a scrum Sam Butterworth put a clever kick over the top for Seta Tala to sprint round and further extend the lead. Sheridan again converted.

With a few minutes to go Sam Butterworth, in a shameless attempt to get on the score sheet popped over a drop goal.

The crowd were willing the team on hoping to make the fifty, but it never happened.

To St Patricks credit they rallied for the last few minutes, even managing another score to leave the final score 49 – 24.

Mayfield Team: Lewis Sheridan, Declan Sheridan, Matt Calland, Seta Tala, Rob Kershaw, Paul Brearley, Sam Butterworth, Callum Marriott, Todd O’Brien, Jake Boardman, Ben Butterworth, Liam Whalley, Joe Quanici. Gaz Ellison, Eric Johnson, Sean Mulcahy, Aidy Gleeson.