Rugby League: Kells 2 - 18 Mayfield

Mayfield put in another solid performance to take the points in this crucial game in Cumbria on Saturday.

In a gale force wind Mayfield looked more like a team of winners and never really looked like losing in this game.

For the first fifteen minutes both sides slugged it out with the forwards doing all the work as the conditions made it difficult for Mayfield to adopt their usual open style of play.

In a lot of games so far this season the Mayfield forwards have fallen short of the opposition and been out 'toughed' but not in this one they slowly took control of the game and for long periods then they dominated their opposite numbers.

Cole Connolly and Paul Brearley moved them about the field with aplomb and they made the most of the possession they had, making yards at every opportunity.

A penalty for a high tackle gave the Kells stand off the chance to slot over the two and put his side in front after 15 minutes.

This was to be the only points Mayfield conceded as, for the first time this season, they held the opposition out and kept them tryless.

Callum Marriott, Si Moore and Luke Fowden worked hard down the middle while Lewis Butterworth and Nick Hargreaves kept them out on the flanks. One tackle from Butterworth being so ferocious it ended with the Kells centre having to be helped from the field.

New signing Matty Hadden made an immediate impact when he entered the field, scattering defenders in his wake as he drove the ball in.

Mayfield were soon camped on the Kells line and Hadden again was unstoppable as Connolly slipped him the ball and he crashed through for Mayfield’s first try.

Kells showed good fight and never gave up. It took resolve and good defence to keep them out but Hadden lead the way in defence with the team then following his lead.

Paul Brearley took control of the game and looked at his best once again paired with Sam Butterworth.

Mayfield attacked the Kells line and Hargreaves showed determination as he grounded the ball from an almost impossible situation while being held by three defenders.The conversion was again missed in the swirling wind.

Baker used the wind to his advantage as he started the second half; the high kick off was returned by the wind to give his side possession right from the off.

It took ten minutes before Mayfield again crossed the line when a good piece of play was finished as Dec Sheridan supplied another ball to Lewis Butterworth who still had lots to do but managed to get low and somehow found his way over.

Kells responded well and put Mayfield under a lot of pressure as they tried to get back in the game but mistakes while in the Mayfield twenty coupled with the fierce defensive line put paid to their chances. Their best opportunity came when their centre broke from his own half and looked to be going all the way until Sam Butterworth delighted the Maydield crowd and his team mates when he gave chase and take him down to kill off any thoughts they had of getting anything from the game.

Paul Brearley capped off a man-of-the-match performance when he went over for the try which sealed the win. Baker did well to slot the conversion over.

Victory for Mayfield lifts them out of the relegation zone, putting them level on points with Kells but with a better points difference and making staying in the top flight more of a reality.