Eastmoor 18 - 26 Rochdale Mayfield

Man of the match Jo Qanuici

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Rochdale Mayfield National Conference League team travelled to Wakefield club Eastmoor on Saturday, in the preliminary round of the National Conference Challenge Cup.

Eastmoor ply their trade in Division 2 of the National Conference League, so Mayfield started favourites to progress, and this transpired early on in the game as playing up the slope, the Rochdale side eased into a 20 point first half lead.

Sam Butterworth scored first, jinking through the defence from 20 metres out after Todd O'Brien directed the forwards up the pitch well. Aidan Gleeson missed the conversion, but made up for this with a try and conversion, and a conversion of Komai Naulatua's first half try.

20 nil up at half time, but Mayfield seemed to switch off, as the home side showed plenty of desire to stage a great fight back in the second period.

Niggling injuries robbed Mayfield of the services of Gleeson, Jo Qanuici, Cage Duffy and Todd O'Brien, at various stages of the game and when Eric Johnson was sin-binned mid way through the half, Eastmoor plugged away to get within two points at 18-20.

Mayfield's, again sizable travelling support, feared the worst, but the team dug deep in defence to keep the lead, and extend it with a late try and goal by Gleeson to secure the win at 18-26.

Jo Qanuici was given the man of the match award by the home side, and he was pushed all the way by the impressive workload of Adam Dybdall and Ben Butterworth.

Team: Komai Naulatua. Rob Kershaw, Nick Hargreaves, Matt Calland, Cage Duffy. Sam Butterworth, John Marsland. Aiden Gleeson, Todd O'Brien, Adam Dybdall, Ben Butterworth, Luke Sampson, Jo Qanuici. Simon Moore, Eric Johnson, John Foy.

Mayfield Alliance travelled to higher division Bamber Bridge for a friendly arranged to fill a fixture gap.

Coaches Buck Buckley and Anthony Greaves made a few changes to the squad to cover absence and first team call ups, and were proud of the effort of all, in defeat to a strong Division 1 outfit.

Alliance team fixtures continue through the summer, as Mayfield look to stay near the top of the North West Mens League A team league.