Rugby League: Rochdale Mayfield 14 - 15 West Hull

Mayfield welcomed the high-flying West Hull to Rochdale on Saturday (17 August), and just missed out on at least a share of the spoils, as they pushed the league’s second placed team right to the final whistle.

Mayfield started brightly, threatening the visitor’s line from the off, but just being held at bay. They looked up for the battle, but Jack McConnachie conceded a last tackle penalty and West Hull scored a try on the next set - too easily - on Mayfield's right.

The hosts responded immediately as James McDaid knocked the high kick off back for the hard-working Luke Fowden to recover.

Five tackles later, Man of the Match, Zak Hartley put up a towering bomb that the visitors full back just couldn't handle and from the scrum, Hartley out smarted the defence feeding Munya Samanyanga on the blind for a great score. Hartley converted from the touchline and Mayfield hit back to 6-6 with just eight minutes gone.

They could have extended that lead as a short pass sent Fowden clear, but McConnachie couldn’t take in the pass with the line begging.

That set the tone for the majority of the remainder of the half, as Mayfield forced mistakes from Hull, but couldn't quite capitalise.

On 37 minutes they finally broke through though, Samanyanga again taking advantage of a dropped ball by the full back to touch down for his second, on the stroke of half time, Hartley converted for a 12-6, and deserved, lead.

Mayfield had competed well, probably just shading the voting as the best team of the half. West Hull had made some errors and Mayfield had capitalised and could have had more points on the board.

The first 25 minutes showed that they probably needed to, as Hull cut out their errors and Mayfield stopped asking the questions they had in attack.

West Hull drew level at 12-12 on 60 minutes with a simple barge over try, then took the lead on 64 minutes with a converted penalty.

Mayfield wouldn't give up though and probed for the opening, coming close on a number of occasions.

Finally, the home side were awarded a penalty and Zak Hartley converted it to draw level at 14 - 14 with just 10 minutes remaining.

The tension was unbearable for the large crowd as the sides traded blows and drop goal attempts, but West Hull were successful first and took the lead with two minutes remaining at 14-15.

Mayfield kept fighting and could have been awarded a match winning penalty, but an obstruction was missed, and the chaser for a last gasp kick through judged offside.

Mayfield more than matched a top two side, but in the end needed two points that didn't come, they live to fight another day though and need to get wins from their last three games.

Man of the Match was Zak Hartley and he was pushed hard by Luke Fowden and the hard working Shaun Hurley.

Team: Jack Sampson, Munya Samanyanga, Lewis Butterworth, James McDaid, John Foy, Zak Hartley, Ieuan Higgs, Jimmy Connaughton, Cole Connolly, Shaun Hurley, Jack McConnachie, Robert Kershaw, Luke Fowden, Nick Hargreaves, Andy Taylor, Cameron Connolly, Wayne Bannister.