Rochdale Mayfield 36 - 6 Wath Brow Hornets

Rochdale Mayfield 36-6 Wath Brow Hornets

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

Mayfield kept up the pressure at the top of the best amateur league in the country, comfortably dispatching the Cumbrian visitors to overtake them on the league ladder.

Mayfield’s forwards were too strong and the backs too fast for the opponents who, despite the scoreline, never gave in and pushed Mayfield to be at their best.

The game started tight with the sides trading sets and working out each other’s style of play.

Mayfield were denied a try when a sublime Callum Marriott offload to Matt Calland was ruled forward, but they struck first, when after 15 minutes, the forwards drove to the visitor’s posts and on the last tackle, 20 metres out, Chris Hough put up an old fashioned up and under to the right.

Rhys Carruth rose above his opposite number to collect the ball and score, too wide for Hough to convert.

From the restart, Lewis Sheridan broke the line to streak into the Wath Brow half, and smart offloads by Matt Calland and Rhys Carruth put Chris Hough in. Hough again failed to convert, but at 8-0 Mayfield were flying.

Aidy Gleeson dropped the ball over the line but on Mayfield's next possession, Lewis Sheridan pushed of defenders and passed wide to Zak Baker, his pass found Chris Hough who drew the defence and slid a deft kick through for Rhys Carruth to score his second try. Converted by Aidy Gleeson.

Declan Sheridan dropped the ball in the visitors in goal and Lewis Sheridan pulled off a miracle tackle to hold up a rapid Wath Brow attacker in Mayfield's in goal.

Mayfield extended their lead early in the second half; as they soaked up Wath Brow pressure on the Mayfield line, they broke out of their half at pace. Zak Bakers long and accurate pass found Chris Hough, and his short pass found Sean Watkins on the charge. He broke the line and passed inside to the supporting Matty Ashworth, who scored under the posts.

From the restart, Mayfield scored a similar try - they drove to the centre and a wide pass found Nick Hargreaves, who barged through and passed inside for Matty Ashworth to score. Aidy Gleeson again converted.

With 30 minutes to go it seemed a matter of how many Mayfield would score, but the visitors dug in and held them out until 65 minutes when Rhys Carruth and Paul Brearley exchanged neat offloads and break the line on the left to charge upfield. Chris Hough kicked across field and Matt Calland jumped to knock the ball back into the waiting arms of Nick Hargreaves, who crashed over. Aidy Gleeson converted .

Wath Brow got the rewards their efforts deserved as they took advantage of Mayfield's loose offloads in their own half, and the chaser just beat Declan Sheridan to the kick through, but at 32-6 it was too little, too late.

Declan Sheridan tried hard make amends for his earlier miss as he scooted to the line, but his offload only found a Wath Brow man, however, the alert Chris Hough took the ball back to fall over the line and score. The conversion was missed.

A true team effort by the Mayfield side who had stand out performers in Callum Marriott and Paul Brearley in the forwards and Lewis Sheridan and Rhys Carruth in the backs. Matty Ashton took the man-of-the-match plaudits from match sponsors David Tully and Son Vehicle Repair and Yearsley Cold Storage and Distribution.

The two league points put Mayfield into fourth place, and in with a shout of second or third, with each place being vital in the end of season play-offs.

Mayfield Team: Lewis Sheridan. Declan Sheridan, Matty Ashworth, Matt Calland, Rhys Carruth. Chris Hough, Zak Baker. James Shaw, Callum Ogden, Seta Tala, Sean Watkins, Paul Brearley, Callum Marriott. Aidan Gleeson, Mark Biggins, Nick Hargreaves, Jack Rush.