Rugby league: Egremont 10 - 70 Mayfield

Photo: Aidy Gleeson Snr

Dev Long had a massive impact on the game

Mayfield made the trip over to Whitehaven on Saturday 3 August knowing they were under the cosh. Coach Sam Butterworth could have selected another 13 with the players who have featured this season but were unavailable on the day.

The team arrived two hours early after expected traffic delays didn't materialise and this left the lads kicking their heels, not the ideal preparation for a huge game. As it was, Egremont were in a similar position player wise, with injuries and holidays affecting them badly.

Once again Mayfield were fielding six players who were still eligible for the under 18s as well as a couple of lads from the NWML side.

Despite their problems Mayfield took to the field looking supremely confident, and with good cause. With just two minutes gone Max Riseham showed how much he has come on this season as he crashed through a weak defence in his own half before sprinting away and showing a wicked side step to open the scoring.

The scoring continued at a rapid rate with Riseham bagging his second, Lewis Butterworth got two, Jack Green, Ben Metcalfe and Dev Long weighed in with one each.

Connolly was superb with the boot as he converted six of the seven to make it a half time score of 0 - 40.

Egremont could not be faulted for effort, they never gave up and had a good spell in the ten minutes before half time but the Mayfield defence was rock solid with Metcalfe, Reece Hamlett and Butterworth on top form.

With 40 points on the board it would have been easy for Mayfield to take their foot off the gas but they never let up and scored another 30 points before the final whistle.

Noah Lawton opened the second half scoring with a powerful effort before Egremont, through dogged determination grabbed a converted try of their own. They could have had another but for a brilliant try saving tackle from Nick Hargreaves who chased down the young winger thanks, it was said to his new boots.

Dev Long and Metcalfe both got a second each while Jacob Andrews Smith, otherwise known as Sharky, scored a great hooker's try on his debut.

Again credit to the home side as they came back at Mayfield and managed to add another four pointer to their tally before Connolly fittingly rounded off the scoring with a great try after Harry Sheridan had done all the work.

The conversion made it five out of five in the second half and 11 from 12 for the game, giving Connolly a personal tally of 26 points.

Though up against a team on hard times there were some very good performances from this Mayfield side. In fact ,there wasn't one player who under performed, the lads who stepped in again were outstanding. Riseham and Long were especially effective as Mayfield consolidated their third place in the division.