Castleford Panthers 18 – 30 Mayfield

Castleford Panthers away has always been somewhat of a bogey fixture for Mayfield and, forced to make four changes from last week’s winning team, they could have been forgiven for slipping up.

However, the lads who stepped up to fill the gaps made brilliant contributions and helped their team to a 30 – 18 victory in the blistering heat, making it five wins on the run for the side.

Despite a strong start from the Panthers, it was Mayfield who scored the first points after Todd O’Brien fed Aidy Gleeson who broke two tackles before slipping the ball to John Foy who raced twenty metres for the score to make it 0 – 4 to Mayfield.

The Panthers responded well and, after a clash had left two Mayfield players on the ground, the ref allowed the play to continue and the home side scored in the corner to make it 4 – 4. They grabbed another try within two minutes as two Mayfield defenders failed to make simple tackles, 8 – 4.

Mayfield stuck to the task and fought their way back up field from where Jack Sampson took advantage from a penalty and forced his way over for a Ieuan Higgs converted try to make it 8 – 10.

Mayfield’s superior fitness began to show as O’Brien broke through from his own half, slipped the pass to Paul Brearley who in turn made twenty more metres before finding the supporting Ieuan Higgs who stretched his side’s lead and then converted his own try, making it 8 – 16 at half time.

The home side came out stronger after the break and it looked as though a comeback was on the cards as they grabbed a converted try to make it 14 – 16.

The next ten minutes were tough for both sides as they struggled in the heat, and it was only try-saving tackles from Kristian Duffy and Eric Johnson that kept Mayfield in front.

It was again Mayfields fitness which saw them through this patch, and then they went back to basics and took the game to the Panthers. When Taurean Sheehan jinked and stepped his way to the line for a try which Higgs converted, the team seemed to step up a level, and their hosts just couldn’t match their enthusiasm, 14 - 22.

With just fifteen minutes left to go Mayfield began to play their best rugby and this was evident as Paul Brearley linked up with Jack Sampson to put the latter in for his second score, 14 – 26.

The home side were struggling now, and when Kristian Duffy picked up a loose ball to race 50 metres they had no answer. Rob Kershaw picked the ball up from acting half, made another twenty and then fed Brearley who beat four defenders as he raced to the line, 14 – 30.

The Panthers grabbed a consolation with four minutes left to make the final score 18 – 30.