Wiser Mayfield heading to Barrow

MAYFIELD are in the unusual position of playing on Sunday this week when they travel to Cumbria for their Challenge Cup third round tie with last week’s RFL Championship Cup opponents Barrow Raiders.

Barrow ran out comfortable winners in last week’s encounter but Mayfield gave a good account of themselves, especially in the second half.

If it had not been for the two somewhat harsh sin bins leaving the home side down to eleven men they could have pushed the professionals close and made them take notice in preparation for tomorrow’s clash.

Sam Butterworth was very positive about Mayfield’s contribution to the game.

“The effort and commitment put in was absolutely outstanding,” he said.

“Overall we are a very young side and as such are still learning the game especially at that level. With a bit more experience under their belts this will be a team to be reckoned with. We paid the price for silly mistakes and unforced errors which Barrow seized upon and that was our undoing.

“We will travel up there on Sunday having learnt lessons and will be looking to put right what we did wrong and who knows what can happen? That’s the magic of the cup. One thing’s for sure we will be giving it our best shot.”

Coaches Matt Calland and Butterworth were delaying naming their side until they had seen the team in the week after taking on Saddleworth in the Oldham Standard Cup, but they will be hoping there are not to many forced changes. Facing reality though, three games in eight days is a big ask for any side, especially at this level.

The youngsters who impressed last week will be hoping they did enough to retain a shirt for this one.

Lads like James Connaughton, Matty Chrimes, Matty Ashton and Cameron Connolly and Zak Hartley gave it their all and will be ably backed by highly influencial players like Paul Brearley, the Sheridan brothers and Callum Marriott to name but a few.

This will be an invaluable experience for the lads and will have nothing but a positive effect on the forth coming season in the NCL premier division.

Mayfield’s north west mens league side are in action this afternoon at the Mayfield Sports Centre as they play a friendly against nwml premier side Heysham Atoms.

Like the first team tomorrow they will be putting out a very young side but with a sprinkling of mature players making up the numbers.