Stanley Rangers 24 – 30 Rochdale Mayfield

Rochdale Mayfield NCL made it five wins in row on Saturday as they travelled to Wakefield to face fellow promotion chasers Stanley Rangers.

Stanley had taken the points earlier in the season at the Mayfield Sports Centre, and looked in good form as they won the toss and used their knowledge of the huge slope to score two tries and go 10-0 up in as many minutes.

Both scores were as a result of Mayfield failing to complete sets coming out of their own half, the second an interception try on the first tackle after Mayfield had defended their line well to earn a ten metre scrum.

This strong defence was evident throughout the half though, and coach Sam Butterworth must have hoped his side could stay in touching distance of the home side that used the slope and their last tackle options well. Mayfield did just that and grew stronger as they completed and found some field position on 30 minutes. Matt Gartland took advantage and made up for his earlier mistake with a try as he rounded his marker ten yards out and powered through the defence to touch down. Aidan Gleeson converted to make the scores 10-6.

Mayfield continued to improve and narrowly failed to take the lead when brave passing on their own line saw Ben Namulatua make a scintillating break from his own 25, John Foy took his pass and carried on with great footwork into the oppositions 25 only for the cover to swamp him with the line beckoning. This looked to be costly as on 35 minutes another mistake Mayfield when clearing their lines gifted Stanley possession and a simple kick on the last tackle was not fielded by the right side defence for a try to the home side.

14-6 with only seconds left of the half and Mayfield struck back. A succession of quick play the balls from the Paul Lane, Luke Sampson and Ben Namulatua, were capitalised on by the smart play of Taurean Sheehan and the tireless Lee Atkinson, who drove Mayfield into the opposition quarter and forced a penalty.

Matt Gartland took first receiver and ran to the line to pass on two successive plays. The first saw Matty Moore held by the defence, but it took four tacklers and the second saw Andrew Moroney slice through the line for a try converted by Aidan Gleeson.

14-12 at the break and Mayfield had seemed to have survived the slope and shown enough to suggest they could go on to win the two precious league points.

The second half started tight with defences again to the fore. Stanley increased their lead with a penalty goal, awarded right in front of the sticks for what seemed like the first infringement of the game from Mayfield. Potentially more damaging though was the sin binning of Andrew Moroney from the same incident.

This seemed to spark Mayfield into life and they hit the front, as a great last tackle kick chase forced the hosts to drop out from under their own posts. Ben Coombes, Ben Simpson and Chris Brett drove the ball back and offloads saw Matt Gartland dart over for his second try, which Aidan Gleeson again goaled for 16-18. Stanley hit back with another penalty goal to level matters before on 63 minutes the pressure told on the Stanley defence, who whilst attempting to hold the Mayfield attack, conceded two penalties for ball stealing then saw Chris Brett, with cat like reactions, react first to a Taurean Sheehan grubber kick to the posts. Brett touched down and Aidan Gleeson again goaled for 18-24.

The Wakefield outfit wouldn’t go away though, and with 10 minutes left on the clock their scrum half rounded the Mayfield fringe of the ruck defence and scooted in from 10 metres. 24-24 and the large Mayfield travelling support urged their hero’s on for one more effort to take the game. It seemed Paul Lane had done just that, when he took advantage of good hands to his right hand wing to speed down the line and in at the corner, only for the touch judge to call the play back as he thought the winger’s foot had touched the side line.

There was no such mistake on the next set as Ben Simpson and Lee Atkinson marauded through the defence and half backs Taurean Sheehan and Matt Gartland combine to give Paul Lane the outside once more. This time he made no mistakes and scorched in for a try converted by Gleeson. 24-30 and Mayfield survived a last second Stanley effort to take the spoils from another tough away game in Yorkshire and the Stanley sports ground reverberated with the Mayfield victory song – ‘show me the love – take it back.’

Team: Ben Namulatua, Paul Lane, Ian Sampson, Steve Wood, John Foy. Matt Gartland, Taurean Sheehan. Benn Coombes, Lee Atkinson, Ben Simpson, Andrew Moroney, Matty Moores, Aidan Gleeson. Luke Sampson, Chris Brett, Simon Moore, Stefan Howard.