Mayfield preview

In form Mayfield travel to Oldham on Saturday for a Hatton's Conference Division One clash with Waterhead.

Mayfield eased to a 40 – 18 in the home fixture at the beginning of June to start their winning run. Coaches Sam Butterworth and Matt Calland are only too aware of the potential banana skin here and have instilled in the team the need to focus, not just for the first 40 minutes, but the full 80.

Calland is determined to continue the run and will accept nothing less than 100% both on the pitch and on the training ground. He said: "The boys have worked hard this week and know what they have to do this afternoon. We have a good squad and a good work ethic but we now need to up the intensity to show we are capable of moving out of this division."

The form shown by Mayfield’s forwards has been tremendous this season and nobody epitomises this more than Matty Moores. He has been awesome and has lifted the team when needed.

Mitch Spackman and Joe Q have also been very impressive with Luke Sampson probably having more game time than any other forward in the division. With forwards like this a team needs an outstanding player at nine to bring them into the game and create the go forward and that is what Mayfield have in the shape of Todd O’Brien.

New signing Callum Marriott will surely slot into the pack well and will only benefit from having a player like O’Brien guiding him through the game.

The inclusion of Lewis Sheridan has proved to be the catalyst Mayfield needed and when he comes in at half back, he links brilliantly with Paul Brearley who has now made the number six shirt his own.

Saturday’s game is no formality though with Waterhead having the ability to cause an upset when they are on form and Mayfield cannot afford to let their concentration slip in the second half as they have in recent games. 

Fixtures: 03.08.13
NCL Division One: Waterhead v Mayfield, KO 2.30pm