Rochdale Mayfield 30 - 20 West Hull

Man-of-the-match Paul Brearley

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Mayfield welcomed arguably the most successful amateur club in England to Rochdale on Saturday and produced some thrilling rugby to take the points that took them to fifth in the country's top amateur division of the Kingstone Press Cider National Conference League Premier Division.

West Hull came to the Mayfield Sports centre with the league and cup trophies in their cabinet, but this Mayfield side is a match for anyone when in the mood, and with five tries were good value for the win.

The game started evenly as the teams traded sets and Mayfield worked hard for field position that led to both Jo Qanuici and John Cookson being held up over the visitor’s line.

Eric Johnson was in determined mood on Mayfield right hand side, and his break from his own 20 metre line blew the Hull defence wide open. Johnson drew the full back and passed inside to the supporting Lewis Sheridan, the pass was not quite to hands but Sheridan managed to get a foot to it, twice, before regathering to score a Sam Butterworth converted try.

Butterworth, who finished with four goals from five, added a drop goal for a seven nil lead after as many minutes.

Liam Whalley stormed forward and chipped through to regather ten metres out, but his pass inside was just too hard for Ben Butterworth to hold.

Mayfield should have stretched their lead when Komai Namulatua was put into space by David Wood, but the pass was ruled forward by the officials.

This seemed costly when, with Mayfield hooker Todd O'Brien forced off with a knock to the head, the visitors produced pressure from two penalties and a repeat set, to see their prop forward crash in under the posts.

This spurred West Hull on, and with Mayfield's left hand side defence struggling to number up, they took the lead on the half hour, when their full back, although clearly offside, took a towering bomb to drop over the line.

The West Hull lead didn't last long, as Mayfield pressed hard with prompting from the majestic Paul Brearley. Uncompromising defence led by Sean Mulcahy and Aiden Gleeson forced a error 40 metres out, and with the half time whistle looming, Paul Brearley put in a first tackle chip over the defence that Komai Namulatua took on the full to score. Sam Buttterworth added the extras for a 13-12 half time lead.

As the second half unfolded, early indiscipline cost Mayfield valuable field position and a two point penalty to Hull, but the defence held firm and Brearley took a smart intercept 10 metres from his line. He quickly spotted Declan Sheridan in space and the crowd favourite took the pass to race 70 metres for a try. The touchline conversion from Butterworth took the lead to 19-14 with Hull on the ropes.

As pressure mounted from a Jo Qanuici break, the visitors had to use any tactic they could to stop him and after the officials spotted and penalised a high tackle, the next set was finished with a measured Paul Brearley kick that forced a repeat set.

Five plays later Todd O'Brien, back from his enforced rest, forced his way over. Butterworth blotted his copybook with his only miss of the game, but at 23 - 14 Mayfield looked comfortable, despite strong effort from the visitors.

Mayfield defence upped again as they attempted to keep the dangerous Hull team in their own 20, but they incurred the wrath of the officials to give away a penalty for dragging into touch, and with it valuable field position.

Declan Sheridan showed great skill to take a high cross field kick and strong defence from the tireless prop forward quartet of Aiden Gleeson, John Cookson, Boardman and sponsors man-of-the-match, Gaz Ellison, kept the visitors at bay for four repeat sets.

Mayfield turned defence into attack and Brearley was twice held up over the line.

This again looked like it could be costly as Hull scored a well worked try to cut the home sides lead to just three points at 23-20 with five minutes to go.

With time running out, and fingernails down the quick, Lewis Sheridan ran back a deep kick, he fed David Wood in space and the centre raced through the line to 30 metres out. The moved seemed to have come to a halt with the cover trapping him from both sides, but Wood had other ideas and a miraculous round the man pass, that was worth the entrance fee alone, found the supporting Rob Kershaw who raced in under the posts. Butterworth added the conversion and completed the scoring with a drop goal right on the whistle.

A thrilling end to a great game, in which both sides gave their all.

Paul Brearley took the man-of-the-match award, and he was pushed hard by the 12 point Sam Butterworth, hard running Gaz Ellison and classy centres David Wood and Liam Whalley.

Mayfield Team: Lewis Sheridan, Rob Kershaw, David Wood, Liam Whalley, Komai Namulatua,  Paul Brearley, Sam Butterworth, John Cookson, Todd O'Brien, Gaz Ellison, Eric Johnson, Ben Butterworth, Jo Qanuici, Aiden Gleeson, Jake Boardman, Sean Mulcahy, Declan Sheridan.