Mayfield preview

Mayfield's NWML Trophy final team

It's fourth placed Mayfield versus fifth placed Wath Brow at the Mayfield Sports Centre this weekend (20 July) and once again this should be a belter. The Cumbrians are six points off the top four and need to pick up points today if they want to finish in one of those top spots.

Brow have been a real up and down side this season, in the last four weeks they have beaten league leaders Siddal and then lost to bottom club West Bowling, so today will be no push over and Mayfield will have to be on top of their game to win this one.

The teams met in the opening game of the season back at the beginning of March and Brow beat Mayfield 14 - 0 that day. This is a different Mayfield side, both in players and in attitude and the coaches, Sam Butterworth and Steve Wood will be happy with nothing other than a victory.

Two weeks ago at Hunslet, Mayfield let in some soft tries as they went down 40 - 18 and they will be looking to strengthen in that department if they are to overcome the challenge from Wath Brow. Butterworth will be looking for some sort of stability in the team as injuries have taken their toll on Mayfield's push for the top. All the top teams have consistency in their armoury and this has been Mayfield's greatest failing this season. As an example, in the last four games top team Siddal have used 20 players whereas Mayfield have used 26. This makes it much harder for the players to get to know how each other plays and what the person next to you is going to do next.

Hopefully after a weeks rest Mayfield will be welcoming the regular players back into the squad and start to settle down for the run in toward the end of the season. Dave Mills and Sam Wright will face late fitness tests and Max Riseham will be missing due to other commitments, Max will be a big miss he has been a revelation this season and got better game on game.

After the disappointment of losing out in the trophy final last week Mayfield's NWML side make the arduous trek up the M6 to take on Roose Pioneers. Mayfield went down 22 - 18 against Bank Quay Bulls at Orrell in a thrilling game which saw Chris Fleming score to get his side back in the game after going 12 - 0 down, Nathan Coop added the conversion, Bulls powered on and had the best of the game, racing to a 22 - 6 lead with only ten minutes remaining.

Mayfield looked down and out but Jack McConnachie produced a superb solo effort to peg them back, Coop again added the two, 22 - 12. Owen Webster then scored, after having one chalked off by the linesman for a foot in touch, Coop added the two again to make the final score 22 - 18. Mayfield were left ruing their chances and will look at this as a game lost when they should really have been celebrating.

But that game is gone now and it's onward to the next. Roose haven't shone yet this season and Mayfield will be hoping that this isn't the game when they start. The coaches will wait before naming their side to see who they have got after the first team selection.

Fixtures 20 July 2024

• NCL Premier Division: Mayfield v Wath Brow, 2.30pm kick off
• NWML Division 2: Roose v Mayfield, 2.30pm kick of