Challenge Cup delight for Mayfield
MAYFIELD retained the Oldham Standard Challenge Cup on Good Friday with, what was in the end a comfortable win over local rivals Oldham St Annes.
Coach Matt Calland chose to freshen things up and rang the changes in the team, and Mayfield started brightly, showing a more direct approach and composure that has been missing early in the season.
The sides exchanged sets and with Mayfield driving to half way, Aiden Gleeson took route one and burst through tackles into the clear.
The prop had options either side from enthusiastic support players and this helped him to dummy past the fullback and race to the line for the opening try, converted by Zak Baker for 6-0.
Mayfield took the hint that tries come from tackle busts and Callum Marriott repeated the feat, breaking through on his own 30 metre line and passing inside to Paul Brearley who again used the support players as foils and handed off the fullback to score another try under the posts.
The conversion gave Mayfield a 12 point lead in as many minutes and it looked like they would run away with the game, but with a quarter of the game gone, they fell back into trying to push the ball when not on or needed, and let St Annes back into the contest.
First captain Paul Brearley threw a loose pass that an opponent scooped up to charge to the line.
The skipper’s blushes were saved by Cory Newsham who raced back to prevent the try, but the tone was changed and mistakes crept into the Mayfield game.
Cory Newsham blotted his copybook - dropping a regulation high kick and St Annes reacted quicker than his team-mates to grab a try from the loose ball.
At 12-6 the game was at a stalemate as Mayfield failed to push home their advantage - errors and penalties keeping the play in midfield.
Mayfield finished the half brighter as a Paul Brearley grubber kick into the huge in-goal forced a drop out, and Gleeson just failed to touch down his own kick through.
The score was 12-6 at halftime but whilst Mayfield looked comfortably stronger, their opponents were determined in defence and only one score behind.
The second half saw Mayfield again guilty of pushing passes for errors in possession time and time again.
St Annes had all the field position for 10 minutes and eventually the pressure told as Mayfield again dropped the ball on exiting their own half, then Zac Baker conceded a penalty on the last tackle.
St Annes drove to the line and, on the last tackle, the acting halfback managed to squeeze through weak defenders to level the scores at 12 all with a quarter of the match to play.
Mayfield were quite comfortably handling the St Annes attack – and through Cole Connolly and Luke Fowden they started to smash down the ball carriers, and finally got back to controlling their own play.
With the field position came points. Firstly, Paul Brearley took wide and flat pass on the line to touch down for 18-12, then Liam Whalley took advantage of a quick play the ball to scoot to the defensive line and put Declan Sheridan over from 20 metres out for 24-12.
The magnificent Mayfield supporters, again out numbering and out cheering the locals, breathed a sigh of relief as with seconds remaining, Mayfield scored the try that brought the loudest cheer of the afternoon.
The forwards showed control in their own half to get to the last tackle and Brearley put in a measured kick that crowd favourite Newsham chased hard, to harass the catcher and touch the loose ball down for a great try and final score of 28-12.
On reflection Mayfield were always too strong for the St Annes side, but the tendency to play a ‘touch rugby’ style and failure to do the simple stuff well, gave the local side possession and field position to challenge for the honours.
In the end the short periods of controlled play were enough and the Rochdale side took the Cup.
Best for Mayfield were the tireless forwards Callum Marriott and Liam Whalley whilst centres Brandon Wood and Matty Chrimes were strong in the backs.
Wayne English. Kieran Hamer, Brandon Wood, Matty Chrimes, Cory Newsham. Paul Brearley, Zac Baker. Sean Hurley, Declan Sheridan, Jimmy Connaughton, Callum Marriott, Liam Whalley, Aiden Gleeson. Jake Bordman, Luke Fowden, Cole Connolly, Macaulay Donnelly.