Castleford panthers 34 - 16 Rochdale Mayfield

Mayfield have performed some heroics on the road in Yorkshire this season, but form deserted them when it mattered at Castleford on Saturday (30 April), as they went down 34-16.

Mayfield needed a win to secure promotion but the home side were fighting for their lives against relegation, and it showed as they ran hard and tackled in numbers, whereas Mayfield were strangely flat – perhaps as a result of the three week layoff between games.

The start of the game set the tone as the referee marched Castleford into Mayfield territory and the Rochdale team fell off tackles to let them in for a try.

4-0 and it stayed that way for the next 20 minutes as any Mayfield pressure was spoiled by handling errors and the home sides spoiling tactics that slowed the game to a crawl.

Castleford took every advantage though, and built a commanding lead that crept up to 22-0 by half time.

Despite the score line the travelling support always felt that Mayfield could come back, but they knocked on the restart. Castleford scored from the resultant scrum and the game was gone.

Mayfield did hit back when the home side finally paid the price for ruck infringements. Taurean Sheehan, Todd O’Brien and Rob Kershaw scored tries; Aiden Gleeson and O’Brien converted one each, but to no avail as the game ended 34-16.

Too many had off games for Mayfield, and they failed to play the gale force conditions – trying too many long passes, instead of shortening things up and using their forward power.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and Mayfield have another chance next Saturday, when a win will finish the season in style and with promotion.

Team: Rob Kershaw, Ben Namulatua, Steve Wood, Ian Sampson, Paul Lane, Matt Gartland, Taurean Sheehan. Benn Coombes, Todd O’Brien, Ben Simpson, Andrew Moroney, Matty Moores, Aidan Gleeson, Simon Moore, Chris Brett, Mark Biggins, John Stott.