Mayfield victorious in Millom clash

With ten regular squad members unavailable last weekend, Mayfield blooded many of the Alliance team in their National Conference Division 1 game at Millom.

Even with a weakened side, straight from the kick off, Mayfield went at their hosts with the outstanding Mark Biggins leading the way. After a powerful drive from Biggins, player coaches Sam Butterworth and Matt Calland linked up with Calland, finding Luke Samson who forced his way over for the opening score.

Eric Johnson and Todd O’Brien went close, but the intensity slowed a little and Millom seized the advantage; scoring two converted tries.

Mayfield regained their composure with Ben Duffy and Jack Ashworth showing poise and skill beyond their years.

Half back Rob Kershaw gave Ieuan Higgs the opportunity to beat two men before being tackled, and with O’Brien giving Nick Hargreaves the ball he did the rest, outpacing the defence and knocking away two would-be tacklers to score his side’s second try.

Mayfield should have kicked on from 12-8, but a couple of questionable calls from the referee saw them pinned back in their own twenty, from where Millom stretched the lead with another converted try, making the score 18-8 at half time.

As the second half kicked off, Calland and Butterworth stressed to their team the importance of scoring the next try, but this warning went unheeded as Millom restarted strongly and only a last-ditch try-saving tackle from Hargreaves prevented them from scoring in the corner.

Millom, also realising the need to score, opted to take the two points when awarded a dubious penalty in front of the sticks, taking their lead to 20-8.

At this point Mayfield could have been forgiven if they had gone under, but instead they dug in and defended resolutely. Jack Ashworth and Jake Boardman, whose combined age is still less than that of their mentor Calland, were working overtime tackling everything that came their way.

The Rochdale side were unlucky when, after this long spell of pressure, the Cumbrians again extended the lead 26-8 with just thirty minutes to go.

Despite Mayfield’s efforts, it looked like the game was lost. However, Mayfield showed their mettle as they not only held Millom out for the next ten minutes, but then also pulled a score back after a brilliant kick-through on the last tackle from O’Brien was followed by John Foy who pounced on the ball to give his side a glimmer of hope as Higgs converted.

What followed in the last fifteen minutes was described by the Millom coach as ‘the Matt Cartland show’ as he treated Mayfield’s loyal supporters to a display of sheer class; with special thanks given to physio Mike Donohue without whom Calland probably wouldn’t have even made the field.

After drives from Biggins and Samson, Calland collected the ball forty metres out, skipping effortlessly through defence and racing thirty metres before finding the supporting Paul Hancock who finished the move in style. Higgs converted narrowing the score to 26-20.

With five minutes left it looked like Mayfield would have to settle for a gallant defeat, but not if Calland had anything to do with it.

Rob Kershaw made metres, then the flying Ryan Stanniland carried the move on before Sam Butterworth took control; orchestrating his troops as the ball again found its way to Calland.

With thirty metres between him and glory he showed the ball, drew it back and set off for the line with the crowd backing him all the way as he grounded the ball under the posts.

Milland managed to regain possession, but again Biggins and Johnson held firm. With just one minute to go, Milland looked on helplessly as Foy, then Higgs, carried the ball forward with O’Brien behind them all the way. The ball moved left through Samson, Marsland and Duffy before Calland took possession, working his magic before finding Johnson who made the finish look simple as he sealed the game for Mayfield.

Higgs again slotted over the conversion, and at 26-32 the final whistle blew giving Mayfield a victory against all odds.