Butterworth gets his balance act spot on
Sehan orchestrates Stags’ collapse at Haslingden
MAYFIELD finally had a full squad to select from at home on Saturday against Thornhill Trojans.
Coach Sam Butterworth shuffled his side around as he attempted to find the right balance for this NCL premier division clash.
It didn’t take Mayfield long to produce the goods, as within 10 minutes they were 6-0 to the good after good work from Lewis Butterworth and Dec Sheridan carved the opening for Darcy Maroske to crash over for the opening score, converted by Ieuan Higgs.
Thornhill switched on and pressured the Mayfield line and only a brilliant try saver from Corey Newsham stopped them from hitting straight back.
The Thornhill no8 then dragged his side back in it, with a soft try from Mayfields point of view.
He managed to ground the ball under the sticks with four defenders in attendance.
The kicker added the conversion to level the scores at 6-6. Mayfield responded in style to the Thornhill threat, upping the pace of the game and moving the ball around well through Ben Metcalfe and Butterworth, who’s showing at stand off was superb.
Higgs linking in from full back lifted the performance and the side looked began to look like a rugby team.
The powerful Mayfield pack began to control the middle of the pitch Maroske, Jarrod Dash and Danny Dean on his debut made good ground when in possession and along with Si Moore and Harry Macdonald were rock solid in defence.
A great passage of play saw Mayfield threatening again and Higgs seized the opportunity as he ghosted through for a try which he converted himself to double his sides lead, 12-6.
Thornhill worked overtime in defence as they held the confident Mayfield attack out.
It was credit to the visitors that they managed to prevent Mayfield from extending their lead before half time.
The second half saw Mayfield come out on fire and a brilliant crossfield move saw merky find Rob Kershaw with a well timed pass and he went over in the corner from five yards, 16-6.
Mayfield were in complete control now and a sustained spell of pressure saw Maroske get another and Dash fight his way over Higgs converted both and at 28-6 there was no coming back for the Yorkshire men.
Try, as they did they couldn’t break the Mayfield line as Cole Connolly led the defence along with James Mulvaney and Mcdaid.
Sheridan and Dash were especially impressive with there stint on their own line, refusing to allow Thornhill through.
A further three tries from Mayfield showed what a good side they can be.
Connolly went over from a scrum for a shrewd touch down the Mulvaney just used raw power to burst his way through then Metcalfe showed brilliant skills and equally good footwork to score under the sticks, Higgs converted two of them and the scoring was complete, 44-6.
At the final whistle there was a satisfied feeling aroud the the ground as the crowd felr the yeam had announced, at last, we are here.
Si Moore and Nick Hargreaves ran well for Mayfield while Butterworth and Higgs were stand out.
The Man of the Match was split as the coaches awarded it to Dash and the match day sponsors, Dave Tully motor vehicle repairers, plumped for Maroske who never took a backward step and was an inspiration to his team mates.
HASLINGDEN beat Norden by seven wickets on Sunday in the second round of JW Lees Lancashire League Division 1 matches.
The Stags won the toss and chose to bat, and there was little sign of the collapse to come as openers Josh Tolley and Hashum Malik put on 35 for the opening wicket.
Tolley (18) was first to fall, quickly followed by Greg Butterworth (5) but when Malik (28) was caught by Matt Griffin off Gary Sudworth, Norden’s troubles quickly took hold.
From 70-4 they were all out for 80!
Sehan Weerasinghe claimed 5-14 while
Sudworth took 4-23.
The home side had a flaky start to their reply and were 25-3 – but man of the match Weerasinghe eased them across the finishing line with a fine knock of 47.
Rochdale lost out in their opening home match as they entertained Clitheroe.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the home team were all out for 151 off 46 overs, pro S Bukhari top-scoring with 48.
Clitheroe’s sub pro, Samit Patel, struck 58 from 68 deliveries to guide the visitors home in the 31st over with just four wickets having fallen.
Greenmount proved too strong on their own patch for Ramsbottom.
After losing the toss and being asked to field, Rammy struggled to make inroads into the home batting line-up, with Jack Harrison and Chesney Hughes putting on 71 for the first wicket, Harrison eventually falling for 36.
Hughes went on to make 51 while Andrew Kerr added 63 and Lewis Dove an unbeaten 60 as the home side put together a knock of 287-7 from their 50 overs.
Daniel Pyke was the pick of Rammy’s bowlers with 4-72.
The visitors’ top four batsmen all played their way in but struggled to build on firm foundations – Jonathan Dack (15) was first to go with the score on 40, Alex Olpin (22) followed on 60 and Kieren Grimshaw (22) on 78.
Senuran Muthusamy top-scored with 30 and there was a defiant unbeaten 26 from Pyke further down the order, but the visitors were all out for 140 in the 34th over.
At Lowerhouse, Walsden enjoyed a 29-run triumph. The visitors won the toss and batted first, making 223-9 off their 50 overs. Josh Gale (44), sub pro Chirag Khurana (67) and Elliott Gilford (43) all made useful contributions.
Stephen Parry was Lowerhouse’s best bowler with 4-78.
Charles Cottam (42) top-scored for the home side, who always looked off the pace required to haul in Walsden, for whom Khurana claimed
5-57. Rehan Udwadia hit 66 and James Price 54 as Middleton edged Darwen at Towncroft.
Middleton had won the toss and elected to bat, scoring 200 all out after
49.4 overs. David Bowden took 5-36 for the visitors but James Tierney all but matched that feat for the home side, claiming 5-37 while Dale Highton took 4-48 as Darwen were dismissed for 190 off 49 overs.
Todmorden, playing host to Burnley, fell short of the visitors’ 293-7 having lost the toss and been put into field. The home side were 249-6 after their 50 overs.