Hunslet v Mayfield game abandoned due to mass brawl

This fixture at Hunslet has produced some real tough games for Mayfield in the past and Saturday's game was no different. 

Hunslet are a big physical side capable of playing some great rugby league and at times they did, running in four tries in the first half with Mayfield just having an Eric Johnson effort to their credit.

The first half was marred by a brawl after Joe Qanuici was singled out in the tackle and reacted badly to being struck in the face. A Hunslet player and Qanuici were given ten minutes in the sin bin to calm the situation.

Mayfield were playing some very good rugby but only in spells, and at times the defence was just not at the game, giving away at least two tries by failing to clear loose balls.

Coach Matt Calland kept his side in the dressing room at half time to try and rectify what was going wrong but within minutes of the restart Hunslet had increased their lead to 28 – 4.

After more infringements and successive penalties the home side had another player sent to the sin bin. This appeared to be the catalyst Mayfield needed as they lifted their game with Johnson urging his troops on.

Qanuici was proving a real thorn in the side for the home side and it was after good work from him and Adam Dybdall that Matty Moores crashed over for his first try of the season. 28 – 10.

Mayfield were firing on all cylinders now. The forwards were gaining ground with Mitch Spackman, Todd O’Brien and Luke Sampson working overtime in that department. The defence had also improved with Paul Brearley, Nick Hargreaves and Ben Butterworth taking down everything that moved.

What happened next is unclear but it appeared that Brearley was tackled into touch near to the Hunslet dug out when he was struck by a defender, another Hunslet defender joined in and within seconds another mass brawl had erupted with at least one of the Hunslet spectators encroaching onto the pitch trying to get involved.

This left the ref with no alternative but to abandon the game.

The Hunslet crowd and players objected strongly but the decision had been made and that was that, game over.

The actual time of the game stoppage was not made clear to the Mayfield officials but it seemed to be before sixty five minutes which means the game will have to be replayed, although the referee would not confirm this saying it was a decision for the league committee not him.

Positives to be taken from the game were the performances of the forwards with, again Qanuici and Spackman, along with Moores the pick of the bunch. While in the backs Johnson, Brearley and Dan Kaufman impressed. Also there was the return of Wayne Ryburn playing his first game since breaking his leg. Ryburn looked well in the centre and his defence was rock solid leaving the crowd looking forward to his first full game and hopefully seeing the best of him now he is fully recovered.

Team: Dan Kaufman, Rob Kershaw, Seta Tala, Nick Hargreaves, Komai Nualamatua, Paul Brearley, Eric Johnson, Mitch Spackman, Todd O’Brien, Matty Moores, Ben Butterworth, Luke Sampson, Joe Qanuici, John Foy, Aidan Gleeson, Wayne Ryburn, Adam Dybdall