Millom 22 – 36 Mayfield

Mayfield made the long trip to Millom on Saturday full of confidence and with probably their strongest team of the season. Coaches Matt Calland and Sam Butterworth were able to name two new signings in their line up in Liam Whalley and ex Mustang Sean Mulcahy.

Mayfield started strongly and were unlucky not to be on the scoreboard when Calland broke the line with Dan Kaufman in support, a well timed pass put Kaufman in the clear and he went in under the sticks only for the referee to rule he’d dropped the ball.

With both teams defending their lines like their lives depended on it, Mayfield broke the deadlock when Calland and Kaufman again teamed up, this time there was no disputing the try which Butterworth converted.

Millom battled on and were rewarded with an equalising score as half time approached. 

The restart saw the hosts catch Mayfield cold and within 6 minutes they had scored two converted tries to give them an 18 – 6 lead.

Mayfield were on the ropes and looked like they could have gone down, but big Fijian Joe Qanuici had other ideas as he knocked the wind out of Millom with hard tackling.

Qanuici was given his reward as he found himself on the end of a Todd O’Brien inside pass and was unstoppable as he went over the top of the defenders in his way. Butterworth converted: 18 – 12.

Forwards Matty Moores and Si Moore were having good games doing all the coaches had asked of them, taking drive after drive making tackle after tackle. This hard work pulled their side closer to their opponents and Millom were visibly tiring now. Rob Kershaw made the most of this spotting a gap and making good yards before finding Calland who in turn made more ground before putting Sam Butterworth over to level the scores at 18 – 18.

Millom regained the lead but this lead was short lived as Matty Moores showed some silky skills with ball in hand to create the space for the industrious Eric Johnson to give his side the lead 22 – 24.

Millom fought hard to get back on top but were knocked off their stride repeatedly by the Mayfield forwards, with Ben Butterworth and Mitch Spackman working overtime in defence and still managing to find the energy to take the ball in.

Calland grabbed a try for himself from his own kick through on the last tackle which Butterworth duly converted.

With ten minutes to go spelled disaster for Millom with indiscipline and arguments between players.

Todd O’Brien capitalised catching the defence off guard and plunging in for the score that clinched the game and two valuable points. Butterworth was successful with the conversion making it six from six, an impressive return.

M.O.M. award went to Joe Qanuici.

Mayfield: Dan Kaufman, Rob Kershaw, Matt Calland, Liam Whalley, Komai Nuamatua, Paul Brearley, Sam Butterworth, Mitch Spackman, Todd O’Brien, Si Moore, Ben Butterworth, Luke Sampson, Joe Qanuici, Eric Johnson, Adam Dybdall, Matty Moores, Sean Mulcahy.