Rochdale Mayfield 16 - 24 Milford Marlins

Rochdale Mayfield 16 - 24 Milford Marlins

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Hattons Solicitors National Conference League Division 1

For the second week in a row Mayfield's massive efforts and skill went unrewarded as they were narrowly beaten by a quality Milford team. Following this, Milford Marlins are pushing for the top in the division.

Whilst it was no consolation for the Mayfield men, the game contained all the ingredients of a great match. It started at a frenetic pace as the visitors scored first on 5 minutes, from a Mayfield mistake in their own 25. Mayfield replied instantly when, on their first visit into enemy territory, Ieuan Higgs jinked at the line and spun through a high tackle to burst clear and score just right of the posts. Aidan Gleeson converted and the score line stayed at 6-6 for the next quarter, as both teams forced mistakes and play was stuck in centre field.

On 30 minutes, Mayfield finally found their way into Milfords 25 metre zone, and Todd O'Brien took advantage to scoot in next to the posts. Gleeson missed the seemingly easy conversion for a 10-6 lead, which was extended to 12-6 on the stroke of half time as Ieuan Higgs took advantage of a penalty.

Mayfield were good value for the half time lead, and despite the loss of Mark Biggins with an elbow injury, looked capable for taking the win that would move them up the table. This became even more probable when on 55 minutes, Sam Butterworth attacked the line at speed on the left and powered through with pace to score in the corner. Gleeson hit the post with the touchline conversion, and the score line was 16-6 with a quarter of the game to go.

Mayfield pressed the line for the killer blow, but a combination of stout defence and poor positioning by the officials saw Mayfield held at bay and Milford awarded a scrum on their own 10 metre line.

Mayfield then seemed to self destruct as the Milford number 7, a former Castleford Tigers player, took the ball hard and fast and forced through to set off on a 60 metre run upfield. Just as it seemed Jack Sampson had stopped the threat, the Milford man offloaded to his support that then scored under the posts. The score was 16-12 but mayfield still had the game in their grasp, until the restart by Higgs failed to go 10 metres. From the penalty, Milford worked a neat run-around that found inside defenders sadly lacking.

16-18 and despite being behind for the first time since the 7th minute the sizable home support still held hope that Mayfield could come back, until the second successive restart, this time by Gleeson, failed to go 10 metres and gifted Milford field position and possession. The Mayfield defence managed to hold out the attackers and launched what could have been the comeback, until Sam Butterworths lobbed pass was intercepted by a visiting player who went in under the posts for an unassailable 16-24 lead. Try as they might mayfield could not close that gap and the points were lost.

The Mayfield players and coaching staff were rightly disappointed, but they will have a week off to regroup. The opportunity of revenge comes with the next game, which is against the same opponents in two weeks, at their Leeds ground, in the Tier 3 Cup Competition.

Man of the Match; Jack Sampson.

Team: Jack Sampson, James Kelly, Sean Snape, Matt Calland, Komai Namulatua. Ieuan Higgs, Sam Butterworth, Mark Biggins, Todd O'Brien, Aidan Gleeson, Ben Butterworth, Matty Moores, Eric Johnson, Ben Duffy, Nick Hargreaves, Ben Simpson, Simon Moore.