Rugby league: Mayfield 12 - 22 Newcastle

Date published: 05 April 2023

Mayfield made a confident start in their fourth round Bet Fred Challenge Cup tie on Saturday 1 April with Dakota Tolhurst and Luke Fowden big in defence while Sean Penkywicz and Devlin Long organised the attack.

It took Mayfield less than ten minutes for Ben Metcalfe to crash through the defence to open the scoring for his side, Devlin Long added the two, 6 - 0.

Newcastle reacted well, Mayfield exactly the opposite, losing the ball on tackle two after the restart then conceding a penalty at the scrum which gave Newcastle the opportunity to move the ball quickly and go over in the corner to level the scores, 6 - 6.

The restart from Mayfield went out on the full and they looked rattled, the crowd went quiet expecting the worst and it was confirmed in the next set as the Newcastle winger dived over, in the opposite corner this time, the conversion was missed, 6 - 10.

Newcastle had turned the tide at this point and were taking hold of the game, with no mistakes and no penalties it was always going to be hard for Mayfield to get back in this game. Newcastle put up a high bomb, Jordan Parr had no trouble diffusing it but was taken back over his own line forcing a dropout under the sticks the visitors big second rower found the gap from the drop out with a neat step and increased his sides lead with a converted score under the posts, 6 - 16.

25 minutes gone and changes were needed and that's what the crowd got, a triple substitution saw Dec Sheridan, Nick Hargreaves and Joe Taira enter the fray. The three got involved straight away and Mayfield looked good again with Sheridan's darting runs and the power of Taira and Hargreaves. The crowd thought they were back in when Sheridan put Taira through the gap but the referee adjudged a double movement.

Fullback Lewis Butterworth was getting a grip of the game now and looked dangerous every time he took the ball showing some touches of absolute class. Mayfield were again playing the better, more adventurous rugby and putting in a great defensive effort with James McDaid involved in both facets of the game. Devlin Long and Sheridan were bossing the middle, while Hargreaves and Travis Long looked strong and were causing problems for Newcastle. This was a good spell for Mayfield but with seconds to go until the break Newcastle again showed their composure and forced their way to the try line for the substitute Moore to register what was effectively the killer blow, their scrum half converted for a half time score of 6 - 22. This was against the run of play and it silenced the crowd again.

That would have been it for most sides, the second half would have been damage limitation. This was a Championship side against the NCL, no contest. Coaches Sam Butterworth and Steve Wood had other ideas though as they prepared their side for the second half. They came out all guns blazing and really rattled the Thunder. Sheridan and Dev Long were a revelation at 9 and 6. They were behind everything Mayfield produced but also their defence was unbelievable. The Mayfield forwards were in charge now with Hargreaves, Taira, Travis Long and Tala immense. But as good as they were the Newcastle defence refused to yield. This was an absolutely cracking game of rugby league and what the Challenge Cup is all about.

With fifteen minutes gone in the second half Mayfield were held up over the line twice in one set, Newcastle knew they were in a game now and they would have to put it all on the line to come through this one. Wayne English was unlucky five minutes later as his opposite number kicked the ball dead before he could touch it down.

Mayfield were then held up over the line twice more with both the Long brothers unlucky, before the tackle of the game came when the rangey Newcastle centre broke from his ten, making forty metres and evading four tackles before English hunted him down and 'put him away'.

The only reason Mayfield hadn't cut the deficit by now was the tremendous effort by the visiting defence. Next to cross the line was Parr who was again held up, making it five tries that could have been plus Taira's double movement. This game could have been so different with just a bit more luck. Mayfield weren't finished though and with minutes to go Penkywicz found Sam Wright who put in a perfectly weighted kick which Parr followed over the line to touch down, Dev Long converted to make the final score 12 - 22.

This was an absolute classic game of rugby league played by two good teams in an absolutely fantastic spirit. No quarter asked or given. What an effort from Mayfield in keeping Newcastle scoreless in the second half. Both sets of players would have known they were in a game come Sunday morning and rather than being happy with the result Butterworth's boys will be wondering what if.

There were some superb performers on the Mayfield side notably in the forwards where Penkywicz and Sheridan were pure class as they shared the hooking role. It really is hard to single players out after a game like this where 1 to 17 were awesome but the sheer effort put in by Hargreaves and Taira and Tala deserves a mention.

The sponsors Ace Electrical and Recruitment Solutions gave their man of the match award to Lewis Butterworth who at times was mesmerising while the opposition coaches opted for stand off Sam Wright for an all action shift.

This was a day for everyone involved at Mayfield to give themselves a pat on the back, from the players to the backroom staff the day went superbly and was a credit to rugby league and to the club.