Hindley 40 - 6 Mayfield

It was never going to be an easy task as Mayfield travelled to face undefeated Hindley in Wigan at the weekend and this proved to be the case as the home side ran out 40 points to 6 winners.

As with last week’s game though, the score does not really represent the game. With yet more enforced changes Mayfield were forced to reshuffle their side and with no forwards on the bench it was always an uphill struggle but this game of ours is not always about who’s on the pitch, but more about what’s inside the players who are on the pitch.

Mayfield showed a fantastic spirit and can be proud of the fact that they never gave in, never took a backward step and kept pressuring their hosts right up to the final whistle.

Hindley started well pummelling the Mayfield line and only great efforts from Dunc Simpson, Gareth Fletcher, Andy Gregory and Mark Nyland plus fantastic try saving tackles from Craig White then James Kelly on the line kept them at bay.

For half time the home side had run in three unanswered tries making the half time score 14 – 0.

Within minutes of the restart Mayfield had found good field position and a break from Andy Lee was well supported by Kelly who took Lee’s pass to score under the sticks Marsland converted 14 – 6.

A great defensive battle ensued for the next 20 minutes with both teams putting in some punishing tackles Paul Hancock, Curly Kershaw, Sean Hill and Anthony Greaves worked overtime in this department but injuries to Stefan Howard, Paul Hancock and debutant Chris Leach left Mayfield short and with only three substitues the pace of the game and the hard work in defence took it’s toll allowing Hindley to rack up twenty six points in the last twenty minutes.

Coaches Ashworth and Connelly took a lot of positives from the game, work rate and attitude being just two.

There were some good performances too with youngsters Ben Duffy and Jake Johnson stepping up to the mark and making telling contributions.

Once again Lee was in outstanding form, special mention must go to Nyland who put in the full eighty minutes and man-of-the-match Simpson who did seventy nine; this is unheard of in the modern game for the props and they both deserve a lot of credit for their efforts.

Team; Kelly, Fletcher, Gregory, White, Hill, Hancock, Marsland, Simpson, Howard, Nyland, Greaves, Johnson, Lee; subs, Kershaw, Duffy, Leach.