Rugby league: Mayfield 16 - 4 Siddal

On a heavy pitch with two of their leading playmakers missing this was always going to be a tough game for Mayfield on Saturday 18 March, and that's exactly what it turned out to be.

This was a proper old school game of rugby league, tough and uncompromising with two sets of players giving their absolute best in search of the win. In the end it was Mayfield who proved the better equipped and came away with the points.

As in recent weeks, Mayfield started strongly by getting on the score sheet after only a couple of minutes as Wayne English capitalised on strong drives from Ben Metcalfe and Seta Talatoka to dive over in the corner. The conversion proved to difficult for Devlin Long, 4 - 0.

Both sets of forwards knocked lumps out of each other as they drove the ball in at pace and rocked each other back in the tackle. Siddal's pack was bigger than Mayfield's and it looked like they would tire the Rochdale lads out but, not a chance. Jarrod Dash, Travis Long and Joe Taira were relentless in their efforts and showed what this side is all about.

Siddal's big prop managed to barge his way over the line only to be met and held up by three Mayfield players, Dec Sheridan, English and Lewis Butterworth.

The teams were evenly matched and both defences were definitely on top, neither of these sides will concede many points this season going off this showing. Butterworth brilliantly diffused a high bomb and Hargreaves and the returning Si Moore repelled everything that came their way.

With half time looming it took a piece of magic from Sheridan to unlock the Yorkshire men's defence and he put Travis Long in for a very important score converted by brother, Devlin, 10 - 0. The same pairing were unlucky not to increase the lead before the break but were kept out by some resolute tackling. 

The first 20 minutes of the second half were a war of attrition and both sets of players deserve a lot of credit for the way they performed in atrocious conditions. Siddal thought they had got points on the board after their winger finished a good move but the touch judge had other ideas as he ruled a forward pass and the referee struck the score off at what would have been an important time for them to register points. 

 

 

On one of the few times Mayfield got up in the Siddal half they too were victims to poor passing as they bombed a couple of chances. Siddal tried everything, early kicks, chip and chase and straight down the middle but Mayfield had all the answers and never let up. Callum Ogden, revelling in the stand-off role played a big part as he organised the troops.

A couple of unforced errors gifted Siddal three repeat sets in the Mayfield ten from where they should have scored but the Rochdale side were magnificent as they kept them out. This frustrated Siddal and they lost a bit of shape and discipline. Mayfield worked their way upfield and a high tackle penalty gave them a great chance, some of the crowd were shouting to 'take the two' but coach Sam Butterworth sent the instruction to run the ball. They did and great work from Harry Sheridan and Ogden saw James McDaid power through the line for the score, Long added the conversion, 16 - 0.

It would have been a great achievement to keep this Siddal side off the score sheet but it was too much to wish for as a never say die attitude saw the Siddal winger squeeze over on the final whistle after the Mayfield defence lost their footing in the driving rain and muddy conditions, 16 - 4. 

This was another great win for Mayfield and above all another great team performance from the boys in blue with everyone playing their part and earning their shirts. With players coming back into the squad there will be some big decisions for the coaching staff over the next couple of weeks but these are great headaches to have.

The club would like to thank ACE Electrical for their sponsorship of the game and their man of the match was given as Dakota Tolhurst while the coaches went for Dec Sheridan.