Quarter final dream over for Mayfield

Milford Marlins 42 - 32 Rochdale Mayfield

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Rochdale Mayfield crashed out of the Tier 3 Conference Challenge Cup on Saturday after a promising first half was overturned by a Milford side of Leeds’ strongest players.
The teams last met two weeks ago, when the Leeds side narrowly triumphed in what was a great display of open and uncompromising Rugby League.

Mayfield were given all the motivation they needed to compete, with a place in the quarter final at stake.

An early onslaught saw Matty Moores and Eric Johnson power up the field and Jack Sampson scoot in for a try on the first set.

Ieuan Higgs converted then, within two sets of six, added a try and a goal to make for a 0-12 lead.

Milford used a neat inside play at the line to crash over, but Mayfield quickly hit back as Carl Abraham slid a grubber kick through the defence from 20 metres out.

Rob Kershaw took advantage to crash over for a try that Ieuan Higgs failed to convert from the sideline. 

4-16 became 4-22 as, with the hosts applying pressure, Paul Brearley intercepted a long cut pass on his own 10 metre line and sprinted the length of the field for a try converted by Higgs.

With just ten minutes to half time Mayfield held a commanding and deserved 18 point lead, but let it slip as the home side turned up the heat with some rough tactics, including some suspiciously high shots, that the officials allowed to go unpunished.

The hosts continued their precise play in the second half as head and neck injuries forced Sampson, Moores and Jack Ashworth off the field.

Milford took advantage with a try on 52 minutes to take them into the lead for the first time in the match.

With Sam Butterworth and Todd O’Brien working openings for Abraham to score from a cross field kick and Luke Sampson to barge over, Mayfield soon burst to another eight-point lead at 24-32.

As the clock ran down Milford took advantage of some good fortune to score tries from a charge down and a clearing kick that hit the referee, sealing the game with a last second try and a 42-32 victory.

Mayfield are now concentrating on the National Conference League as the look to climb the table, starting with an away trip to Millom this Saturday.