Oulton Raiders 16 - 36 Mayfield

Photo: Aidy Gleeson Snr

Top tackler Dave Wood

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With missing six of their regular first team players missing, even playing the team at the bottom of the league can be a tricky proposition but league leaders Mayfield came away with the points from their journey to Oulton.

Oulton started well not looking like a side propping the division up, forcing some hard defence from Mayfield. Lee Atkinson and Callum Marriott doing particularly well.

Mayfield slowly started to build some pressure on the Oulton line as the forwards began to stamp their authority.

Aidan Gleeson capitalised as he burst onto a short pass from Dec Sheridan for a Sam Butterworth converted score.

Mayfield were unlucky not to extend their lead as Rob Kershaw was pulled back after attempting to chase his own kick through.

Gleeson too was unlucky as his kick was hacked dead as he attempted to touch down.

Mayfield continued with the applied pressure but the Oulton defence held firm.

Oulton were playing some good stuff and only a much improved Mayfield defence kept them out with Dave Wood at the front of the line at all times - his work ethic is something to see, making two and three tackles in almost every set.

The Mayfield pack took the game to Oulton with Gaz Ellison, Mark Biggins and Sean Mulcahy dominating their opposite numbers.

It took until five minutes before half time for Mayfield to score again when Seta Tala jinked his way through after good work from Nick Hargreaves. Butterworth again converting.

Oulton tried to hit back before the whistle only for a try saving tackle from Mulcahy to stop them dead.

Despite Oulton's best efforts Mayfield completely dominated the second half, right from the whistle they looked a cut above their opponents with Biggins, Mulcahy and Marriott punching holes in the line seemingly at will.

It wasn't all the forwards though with Tala, Wood, and Lewis and Dec Sheridan having outstanding games.

It was Dec Sheridan who provided the ball for Matt Calland which saw him spin out of the tackle and cross for Mayfield’s third try. Converted by Sam Butterworth.

The try of the game followed when Dec Sheridan was being treated by the physio for an arm injury and spotted a loose ball on his own line scooped it up and proceeded to beat three men and sprint the full length to touch down under the posts. Converted by Butterworth.

Within minutes he had grabbed his second as he scooted from the scrum, feigned the pass to brother Lewis then strolled through the gap for another Butterworth converted six pointer.

The pace of the game began to show on the Mayfield side and Oulton staged a mini comeback, which to their credit saw them bag two more scores.

Mayfield bounced back to round off the scoring with a Ben Butterworth try after great work from Gleeson saw him chip through for Lewis Sheridan to gather and give a clever pass to Butterworth who went in from twenty five metres. Converted by Sam Butterworth.

A comfortable victory for Mayfield keeping them top of the table.

The whole Mayfield side played well with Dave Wood having a fantastic game and Lewis Sheridan going well from scrum half. The forwards were again outstanding with Mulcahy, Marriott, Biggins and Gleeson leading the way.

The opposition coaching staff gave the man-of-the-match award to Dec Sheridan after his brace but the Mayfield coaches opted for Wood, who weighed in with forty three tackles, a great statistic for a centre.