Mayfield end season on high
to him. Pogson’s added the extras to make it 12 apiece.
In between Ansell’s brace Mayfield had scored two tries themselves from left wing Lewis Butterworth and front rower Jimmy Connaughton, both which Lewis Sheridan converted.
The two Ansell tries were the highlight of a disappointing first half from Rangers as they continually coughed up possession in the buildup to the Rochdale tries and conceded nine penalties also, and that pattern continued as the half time break approached as Mayfield’s Paul Brearley scored a converted try on 26 minutes, and Sheridan kicked a penalty goal on 37 minutes to leave the half-time score at 20-12 to the home side.
Pogson spilled the second-half kick-off and Lewis Sheridan gathered the loose ball to race over.
The game was then sealed on 48 minutes as following a poor Underbank kick-chase – several attempted tackles were missed, the ball was transferred to right wing Declan Sheridan who raced 40 metres to touch down. With the score board reading 30-12 in Mayfield’s favour Rangers proceeded to play with more purpose and their reward was Ansell’s third try spectacularly scored with a swallow dive following an incisive pass from replacement hooker John Birt.
After quelling the Underbank attack, Mayfield scored the last points of the game as back row forward Liam Whalley stormed through a huge gap in the tiring Rangers’ defensive line.
Lewis Sheridan kicked his sixth goal on the afternoon, as Rochdale Mayfield eased to a comfortable, season-saving victory to savour.
Wing sensation Sam Ansell, with his fourth hat trick of tries in 2018, was the joint winner of the Rose and Crown Players’ Player of the Match, along with the hard-working Joey Bobbin.
Bobbin was also awarded the Bengal Spice Man of the Match by the Underbank coaching staff. The individual accolade winners were pushed all the way for the awards by the hard-working duo of Jakob Garside and Mikey Holmes.
Next weekend, with a 2.30pm kick-off, Underbank travel to Thatto Heath Crusaders for the first round of the play-offs that will ultimately crown the 2018 NCL Premier Division Champions in early October. In truth Rangers greatly helped the home side with a poor display, and saved their worst performance for a pivotal day A LATE show in Huddersfield RU’s National Two North first away game of the season saw them fall to a lastgasp defeat to Otley in a tight encounter at Cross Green.
Quality was in short supply with wet conditions proving a fitting environment to Field’s dampening display, but a draw wouldn’t have flattered either team.
After battling back from 11-0 down to tie the game, Gareth Lewis’ side struggled to find enough in their game to find a way through Otley’s rear-guard.
The low-scoring game was started better by the hosts, who with a couple of penalties out of three attempts from Otley’s Fly-half Ben Smith had their backs up.
While it wasn’t insurmountable, the visitors couldn’t get territory enough or find the positions or the plays to unlock their opponents.