Mayfield 28 – 36 Wigan St Pats

Mayfield 28 – 36 Wigan St Pats

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Mayfield were handed a lesson in this Tetleys Challenge Cup game on Saturday as Wigan St Pats started the game at a pace that caught them on the hop.

Within 12 minutes the visitors had scored 24 unanswered points; their speed around the field was something to see and Mayfield just couldn’t contain them.

It took 15 minutes for Mayfield to make an impact as a clever short kick off by Sam Butterworth saw him re-gather the ball and set up an attack from which Todd O’Brien capitalised going over from acting half for a Lewis Sheridan converted try, 6 – 24.

A double substitution saw Matty Williams and Si Moore enter the fray and this seemed to give the side a boost, adding some steel to the defence as well as giving the team some extra go forward.

Mayfield were still struggling to get to grips with the pace and successive penalties for holding down at the play the ball saw St Pats take a shot at goal to further stretch the lead.

With five minutes remaining of the first half, Lewis Sheridan showed his class as he kicked through the line, followed it up and hacked on again for Jack Sampson to make the touch down. Sheridan made the conversion to leave the half time score 12 – 26.

Early in the second half Mayfield were looking very strong.

Rob Kershaw collected the ball in his own half and made a great break being tackled only inches from the line. Todd O’Brien moved the ball wide from acting half for Jack Sampson to grab his second.

It took another 15 minutes before the next score as St Pats pounced on a loose ball and again extended their lead.

Mayfield upped the pace and showed they could live their opponents, however, as they pressured the St Pats line the defence was solid. Williams, Mark Biggins and Luke Sampson tried again and again to break the line. It took a clever kick through from Paul Brearley to make the breakthrough for Sheridan to pounce for a try he converted himself.

With ten minutes remaining Mayfield were staging a fightback and until St Pats made their way upfield through their stand off, who was running the show for them, and created the opening for his team mate to grab what was the game clinching score.

To their credit Mayfield never gave up and kept plugging away trying to close the gap and were rewarded when, with only a minute remaining, Callum Marriott crashed his way through the defence for a well deserved try. Sheridan converted. 

Game over and the end of Mayfield's impressive 16 match winning run.

Apart from the opening 12 minutes, where Mayfield looked out of sorts, they matched their opponent all over the field showing some excellent touches and giving the supporters a taste of what is to come in the season, which starts next week.

Lewis Sheridan was awarded the Man-of-the-Match.

Mayfield Team: Jack Sampson, Rob Kershaw, Carl Abram, Liam Whalley, Matt Calland, Joe Qanuici, Lewis Sheridan Sam Butterworth, Mark Biggins, Todd O’Brien, Luke Sampson, Ben Butterworth, Callum Marriott, Paul Brearley, Aidan Gleeson, Matty Williams, Si Moore