Rugby League: Rochdale Mayfield 30 - 0 Egremont

Simon Moore: Rochdale Mayfield 30 - 0 Egremont

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Mayfield took two valuable league points with a solid and convincing, if unspectacular, victory over Cumbrian opposition that, despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise, gave them a stiff test in attack and defence.

The first 25 minutes of the game was a penalty-a-thon, as both sides struggled to get a grip on the game.

Egremont were first to settle and took advantage of Mayfield mistakes to camp out on the home team's try line, but the Mayfield defence held strong for four repeat sets.

Egremont looked set to get their fifth chance at a try when Matty Ashton clean dropped the ball on exiting his line, but Sean Watkins spared his blushes by intercepting an Egremont pass and racing to half way before handing onto Matty Ashton who was be hauled down 20 metres short on the right.

The Rochdale team showed patience though, and fast, wide hands to the left found Jack Sampson in acres of space and he crossed in the corner. It was too wide for Chris Hough to convert.

Mayfield smartly recovered the restart and Jack Sampson weaved through the defence to half way.

Two quick play the balls later, Egremont were at sixes and sevens and Declan Sheridan scooted over for a try. Chris Hough again missed the conversion.

Early in the second half Egremont worked space on the left but the winger dropped a pass with an open line in front of him.

Four plays later Mayfield had charged to the visitors try line. Zak Baker smashed into the defence and Paul Brearley took a neat offload to drive over for a Chris Hough converted try.

Egremont needed to dig in and they tried hard but on their next exit set Sean Watkins chased a long kick hard, and took the ball from the returning Egremont player in a one-on-one tackle, racing in for a try. Converted by Chris Hough.

The game was over with 30 minutes to play but Mayfield pressed on.

Egremont lost their talisman stand off as he was injured keeping out a flying Wayne English.

Paul Brearley was just stopped on the line on the right, then wide hands found Lewis Butterworth in space and his sublime pass drew the cover and gave Jack Sampson the space to dive over in the corner.

With ten minutes left and Mayfield again on the attack, Paul Brearley raced across the line and found man-of-the-match Wayne English with a neat inside ball and he sliced through under the posts for a Zac Hartley converted try to complete the scoring.

Mayfield Team: Wayne English. Jack Sampson, Lewis Butterworth, Matty Ashton, Munya Samanyanga, Chris Hough, Sam Butterworth, Jimmy Connaughton, Lewis Ainley, Simon Moore, Sean Watkins, Paul Brearley, Seta Tala, Declan Sheridan, Aiden Gleeson, Zac Hartley.