Rochdale Mayfield ARLFC

Mayfield Alliance entertained Wigan St Jude at the Mayfield Sports Centre on Saturday and after the poor results of the last few weeks they put in a much needed much improved performance to come out 26 – 24 winners.

Fielding a strong side they put in their best performance of the season for the first thirty minutes.

Neil Connolly and Andy Lee were at the heart of everything with Paul Hancock supplying quality ball from half back to enable the forwards to make the hard yards.

Mayfield were first on the score sheet when powerhouse winger Anthony Bamford crashed onto a Connolly pass and bust through the line to touch down, Lee converted.

Shortly after, came the try of the game as Mark Nyland started the move with a blockbusting drive up the middle, Jake Johnson gained more ground then Hancock moved the ball to Craig White who in turn found Andy Lee who threw a long pass to Luke Hartley who was unstoppable as he raced to the try line from twenty metres.

Mayfield were in total control at this stage and when a set move off the back of the scrum saw Chris McCormack add to the scoresheet it looked like a cricket score was on the cards.

To their credit Jude fought back strongly.

Ben Duffy was sin binned after coming to the defence of one of his team mates and this seemed to disrupt the flow of the game seeing Jude grab two tries before half time as the home sides discipline slipped and they gave away a succession of cheap penalties.

Half time 14 – 10.

The second half saw a tight contest as both sides traded tries in real end to end thriller.

Old war horse Dean Hartley was playing like a teenager as he took drive after drive and made tackle after tackle to keep the opposition at bay; his performance inspired his young team mates with Paul Hancock getting the best out of his forwards as they took the game to Jude.

James Percy made a forty metre break before younger brother Jimmy carried the move on Lee found Ben Duffy who skipped past the defence before grounding the ball by the posts, Lee converted.

More penalties cost Mayfield dear as the visitors clawed their way back into the game with two unanswered tries.

With ten minutes to go Jude were looking a real threat so it was a great relief when a quick tap from Hancock, at a penalty, saw Bamford hit the ball at such pace that the defence looked on motionless as he crossed the line untouched, Lee converted. 26

That score proved priceless as, within minutes Jude had grabbed another converted try.

This was a real thriller of a game for the crowd with both sides playing some good rugby but it was a game which Mayfield should have sewn up in the first half when they were in control of the game.

Players like James Kelly, Luke Hartley, Chris McCormack and Billy Percy gave their all and along with Mark Nyland, Ben Duffy, Danny Walker and Craig White were the driving force behind this victory.

The Wigan Coach gave the MOM to hooker Paul Hancock but he was pushed all the way by Neil Connolly and Andy Lee.

All players are urged to make training this week with a big showdown on the cards next week at St Anne's players will be fighting for positions.

Mayfield Team: James Kelly, Anthony Bamford, Luke Hartley, Chris McCormack, Danny Walker, Andy Lee, Neil Connolly, Mark Nyland, Paul Hancock, James Percy, Jake Johnson, Craig White, Ben Duffy, Billy Percy, Curly Kershaw, Dean Hartley, Chris Leach, Dillon O’Shea