Rugby League: Mayfield 26 - 12 Siddal

Mayfield produced their best performance of the season so far in victory over Siddal - the team that has been their fiercest rival in recent times.

The Halifax side came to Rochdale on a high, lying fifth in the league and in form after a great victory in Cumbria last week. Mayfield meanwhile were still ruing the points missed in last week’s defeat at home to West Hull.

Both teams started well, trading sets until an error at the play the ball gave the Siddal field position.

From a play the ball their stand-off dummied and stepped past lazy markers to open the score.

Paul Brearley competed for but just failed to gather the restart, resulting in a scrum to Siddal 20 metres out.

Siddal attacked the blind side from the scrum and could have scored, but Sam Butterworth intercepted and raced 20 metres to score. Zac Baker converted.

Level after minutes and a classic looked in the offing.

Simon Moore and Mark Biggins were tough in the front row and when Joe Muir and Luke Fowden came on after 20 minutes, they carried on the good work.

 

 

Joe Muirs first drive was brutal as he ran through the visitors nine and left him sprawling on the floor and unable to carry on.

Mayfield couldn’t take advantage of the field position though and Siddal charged up field, benefiting from a penalty, and forcing a drop out after being held up over the line.

Mayfield survived but with Siddal still pressing Matt Calland was sin-binned for a play the ball infringement. With the player coach off the field Mayfield needed a spark, and that was provided by Dec Sheridan who scooped up a loose ball on his own 40 and broke the defence, feeding Jordan Parr on the right wing. He sped through and in one movement passed inside to the charging Luke Fowden who sprinted clear to the line for a try. Zac Baker converted.

Mayfield were full of effort and endeavour and Sam Butterworth took advantage of good field position to drop a goal on the last tackle.

On the stroke of half time Mayfield forced a drop out and good runs came from Matt Calland, Paul Brearley and Mark Biggins. Sam Butterworth looped a long pass wide and left for Nico Risselli to crash over, too wide for Zac Baker to convert.

Mayfield started the second half brightly and pressed the Siddal line forcing a drop out on 50 minutes, but two penalties gave the visitors easy yards. A try saving tackle by Ieuan Higgs kept them at bay until Siddal scored a crash over try under the posts.

With Wayne English and Jordan Parr in inspired form taking the high kicks, to a man Mayfield grew in stature, and they got their reward on 70 minutes when Luke Fowden's strong tackle on the line forced the ball free. Simon Moore scooped it up and charged to the opponents line. He was held just short but offloaded to the supporting Dec Sheridan who raced in under the posts.

Siddal lost a little discipline, seeing red for talking back to the referee and conceding a penalty, converted by Zac Baker.

Sam Butterworth rounded off an assured performance with a drop goal for a final score of 26-12 and two valuable league points.

Man-of-the-match for Mayfield was Paul Brearley whilst Dec Sheridan took the sponsor's award.