Mayfield miss finishing touch
MAYFIELD’S National Conference League team travelled to Humberside on Saturday to face West Hull.
Again forced into changes due to other commitments and injuries, Mayfield welcomed back Jack Sampson and Lewis Sheridan from long term injuries, while Matty Chrimes returned from International duty and Josh Goodman made just his second appearance for the club.
In the search of their third consecutive win, the Rochdale team started well, trading sets in warm and muggy conditions with both defences on top.
Mayfield showed control of the ball and began to gain the ascendancy, with Wayne English outstanding in bringing the ball back from deep and Paul Brearley massive in both defence and attack.
They had all the pressure and only heroic, and sometimes fortunate, scramble defence from the hosts saved their line.
Jack Sampson and Lewis Butterworth were held just short, Aidy Gleeson was ankle tapped on his way to the line and held up over it, as were Liam Whalley and Paul Brearley in the first half.
As a result, the game remained scoreless until West Hull conceded a penalty on the stroke of half time and Zac Baker slotted in through the posts for a 0-2 lead.
The second half started much as the first, with Mayfield pushing for the score, but West Hull hung on and scored a breakaway try, from a suspiciously forward looking wide pass, in the right corner, making the score 6-2.
This seemed to knock the wind out of the Mayfield players sails.
Brearley, Callum Marriott and Callum Ogden in particular put in big efforts to turn the game as Mayfield tried hard to find gaps, but the hosts’ defence held firm and they added their second try from a kick into the ingoal that Jack Sampson just couldn’t regather.
At 12-2 time was running out and Mayfield threw caution to the wind.
Chrimes, Wayne English and Declan Sheridan made breaks and went close, but to no avail.
West Hull finished the scoring on the full time whistle with a try to make it 18-2, a scoreline that flattered the victors but also highlighted Mayfield’s failure to finish off good attacks.