Mayfield NWC 45 - 10 Bamber Bridge

Mayfield NWC wound up their league season in style with a resounding 45 – 10 victory over Bamber Bridge.

The home team started strongly with some good early pressure which set the standard for the game, a neat kick through from Lee was chased up by Johnston who beat everybody to the ball and notched the first try of the game, Duffy converted.

Mayfield then lost full back Kelly with a hamstring injury, he was replaced by U18 player Daniel Slack who went to centre.

Punishing defence caused error after error from Bamber Bridge and when Hart picked up one of these loose balls he was unstoppable as he raced forty yards to touch down in the corner.

The visitors fought back when the stand off put up a high bomb which Mayfield failed to hold, Bridge pounced on the loose ball for a converted try.

They then enjoyed a spell of pressure and possession and it took some resolute defensive work to prevent them scoring again, including a try saving tackle from Johnson on the line. Mayfield then lost Duffy with a fractured collar bone.

A reshuffle saw Marsland introduced at scrum half and he combined well with Lee to find good position from which Hancock took advantage to stroll through a massive gap, Marsland converted.

Simpson and Nyland worked hard to again find good field position Hartley then made it to the opposition ten from where Kershaw slipped a ball to Hancock who powered his way through the defence for his second try, Marsland converted.

Mayfield were playing some champion rugby now everything was going to plan and this was epitomised when from another Lee kick Hancock rose like a salmon to pluck the ball from the full backs grasp and race over to complete a well deserved hat trick, Marsland again converted.

Half time score 28 – 6 Mayfield started slowly in the second half and Bridge capitalised on this, scoring out wide. Hartley re-entered the fray to steady the ship, he achieved this with help from Greaves and Nyland. Marsland then showed a deceptive turn of pace when he intercepted a pass and stumbled 10 yards before diving over the dead ball line to touch down, the ref was the only person in the ground who missed this and he awarded the try.

Five minutes later Ellis combined with Carre to release Devlin who was unlucky not to score but from the next play Lee and Marsland worked together to put Ellis in to make the score 38 – 10.

Bridge never gave up and started to put pressure on the younger members of the team thinking they would be intimidated the best reply to this came from Johnson who crashed onto a ball from Lee to smash through the defensive line and go in under the sticks.

Lee completed the scoring with a well taken drop goal 45 – 10. The coaches were pleased with the contributions from the youngsters, Slack, Carre, Johnson and Duffy. Also with Taylor and Devlin who stepped in and made a difference.

Man of the match went to Hancock for his hat trick plus his non stop work in defence. Looking forward all looks well for next season with the quality of the players coming through the youth set up and the lads are already relishing the prospect of an assault on promotion next season.

Team: James Kelly, Dave Devlin, Joe Hart, Andy Taylor, Douggie Carre, Andy Lee, Ben Duffy, Dunc Simpson, Paul Hancock, Mark Nyland, Anthony Greaves, Dave Ellis, Jake Johnson, John Marsland, Ian Kershaw, Dean Hartley, Daniel Slack.