Mayfield 22 – 22 Pilkington Recs

Seta Tala, Mayfield 22 – 22 Pilkington Recs

Mayfield welcomed Premier Division new-boys Pilkington Recs on Saturday and escaped with a point from a game they really should have won, but for some confusing officiating and a quick fire start from the visitors.

Mayfield started slowly, when after their first possession, the clearing kick was charged down and in the next set they gave away a penalty for holding down.

Pilkingtons took advantage and scored on left with the home defence failing to number up.

Minutes later another penalty under the posts was converted

Reece Carruth, playing a fine game in the centre position, made a smart break and won a quick play the ball, but frustratingly the break was stopped by the marker when not square, and the offence was missed by the officials.

Paul Brearley conceded another penalty under the posts for a shoulder charge. Pilkingtons converted and thier lead that was extended when Liam Whalley charged out of the defensive line, slipped to allow the visitors prop to rumble over the line.

Things looked bleak for Mayfield, but they finally earned a set in the Pilkingtons half and Lewis Sheridan passed wide to Reece Carruth who sliced through for a try. Sam Butterworth missed the conversion.

More Mayfield errors followed when Jack Sampson gave away a penalty when in possession, and was sin-binned for his trouble, Lewis Sheridan missed a touch finder and Gaz Ellison gave a penalty under the posts for a late hit. The latter was converted, but Mayfield hit back when they finally finished a set and the pressure told as Pilkingtons ripped the ball from the half tackled Aidy Gleeson and Dec Sheridan pounced to score. Sam Butterworth converted.

Mayfield held out for the 10 minutes they were a man down, and on his return Jack Sampson surged forward to break the line, but his final pass was judged forward. #

This woke Mayfield up and great defence on the Pilkington line forced them back into goal and in the next set, quick play the balls were too much for the visitors and Lewis Sheridan dived over for a Sam Butterworth converted try.

Props Simon Moore, Aiden Gleeson and Gaz Ellison were trying hard, but two knock ons in the tackle by Moore stifled the attacks.

Moore made up for his errors with a smashing tackle that forced a knock on and from the scrum, a chip over forced a drop out. Nick Hargreaves powered on to a short ball but was adjudged to have dropped the ball over the line.

Pilkingtons needed a relieving penalty and got it to gain field position, then another penalty gifted two points for for a 16-20 lead.

In their next possession Mayfield charged up the field 80 metres and Paul Brearley was unstoppable as he pushed through on the right, just too far right for Sam Butterworth to convert.

20-20 with five minutes to go and it seemed Mayfield just had to complete to score again.

This pressure forced the visitor’s off-side in defence and Sam Butterworth duly converted for 22-20.

The irony that Mayfield could win the game on the back of a penalty was not lost on the crowd, or the officials, as with time up Pilkingtons were awarded a penalty in the Mayfield half and their kicker converted for a 22-22 draw.

Mayfield take a weekend off this bank holiday weekend, and return on 4 June with a visit to West Hull.

Mayfield Team: Lewis Sheridan. Rob Kershaw, Reece Carruth, Liam Whalley, Jack Sampson. Chris Hough, Sam Butterworth. Aiden Gleeson, Declan Sheridan, Simon Moore, Callum Marriott, Sean Watkins, Paul Brearley. Gaz Ellison, Nick Hargreaves, Sean Mulcahy, Seta Tala.