Rugby League: Mayfield 22 - 36 Lock Lane

Mayfield made a strong start to the game against Lock Lane on Saturday 22 June and were only prevented from scoring early on by a resolute Lock Lane defence.

An injury to Liam Whalley saw him leave the field for the best part of an hour and Mayfield missed his industry.

Cole and Cameron Connolly took hold of the game and Mayfield looked the most likely to score but a string of penalties saw Lock Lane get on top. They converted two to make it 0 - 4.

Lock Lane then managed to find a way through with a crafty kick on the last tackle and they scored by the sticks, the conversion made it 0 - 10.

Both sides were playing great rugby and with Rob Kershaw leading the way for Mayfield, Wayne Bannister and Jimmy Connaughton also showed some good touches but with five minutes to go to half time the visitors bagged another converted score, 0 - 18 and it looked all over for Mayfield.

Wayne English and Kershaw had other ideas though and a great passage of play saw English put Kershaw through the gap for Mayfield's first score. Cole Connolly converted to leave the score 6 - 18 at half time and Mayfield were back in it.

 

 

The second half saw Mayfield up the pace and the intensity of the game, both sides defended well and it took 15 minutes before anyone managed to score again, that score went to Mayfield courtesy of Kieran Harmer who finished of a stylish passage of play going over in the corner, 10 - 18.

Mayfield should have scored again as Jack McConachie made a forty-metre break from his own half but the final pass went to ground and the danger was snuffed out.

Lock Lane pushed up and had a spell on the Mayfield line, but they were kept out with some tough defence from Kershaw, Nick Hargreaves, and Connaughton all marshalled by the rock at the back, Wayne English.

Mayfield again pushed upfield and Butterworth dummied his way over for a Connolly converted try, 16 - 18.

Lock Lane were on the ropes now with Mayfield really looking the team on top but, as happens, one moment seemed to alter the course of the game.

A ball steal from the visitors as Mayfield were pushing forward visibly lifted them, it appeared to be a two in the tackle steal, which should have been a Mayfield penalty, instead play was allowed to continue and Lock Lane exploited this opportunity to the full.

A speculative pass on the Mayfield line found their second rower and he darted in to push his team ahead, 16 - 26.

It was the killer blow and Mayfield never recovered from it, try as they did.

Lane scored another two and Mayfield managed one more from Wayne Bannister to make the final score 22 – 36, this flattered the opposition somewhat and, on another day, Mayfield might well have gone on to win this one.

There were a lot of positives to come from the performance not least a MOM performance from Rob Kershaw, Connaughton looked impressive on his return and Wayne English was superb at the back.