Rugby League: 60-year-old Mayfield travel to Holmfirth to face Underbank

Rochdale Mayfield

60 years ago, Mayfield Rugby League Club was a twinkling in the eye of its founders at the Mayfield Hotel on Albert Royds Street, and the club was soon to play its first game against nearby Underbank Rangers.

This weekend sees Mayfield travel to Holmfirth to face Underbank, a club now in its 134th year of existence, for the first time in a number of years.

Underbank earned promotion to the Premier Division for 2018 with 17 wins from 20 games, and a second-place finish in Division One – runners up to Mayfield's last opponents – Hunslet Club Parkside.

Mayfield suffered defeat at the hands of Hunslet last Saturday, but coach Matt Calland and the players will take some comfort from the fact that they matched the league leaders for large periods of the game and finished on a high with two quality tries.

Mayfield won’t play teams as good as Hunslet every week, and they now know the standard required this season to move up the league, but Underbank will be a tough prospect at home, where they have already recorded victories over Myton Warriors and Wigan St Pats and a draw against Kells.

The game will take place at Underbank Rangers, The Cross Grounds, Dunford Road, Holmfirth, HD9 2RR.

The Mayfield coach will leave the club at 12 noon and limited places are available for spectators on a first come, first served basis.

Mayfield A were due to face Wigan St Pats A in Division One of the North West Mens League, but that fixture is now postponed due to St Pats’ inability to travel. It will be re-arranged for a later date.

There are a number of Mayfield Mustangs Junior teams at home on Sunday morning, the under 12s face Orrell St James and also at home are the under 7s, 9s, 10s, 15s – all at 10.30am and 18s at 11.30am.