Masters on centre stage at Mayfield

REMEMBERANCE Day weekend was marked at Rochdale Mayfield with a veterans masters rugby league game.

Rochdale Masters coordinator Carl Abraham brought the event to Mayfield to show his and Mayfield’s support for both the masters movement and the armed forces veterans.

Carl, who is an army vet himself, said: “As soon as I heard about the veterans masters I wanted to get involved and bring the game to the home of Rochdale Masters Rugby League, The Mayfield Sports Centre. Mayfield have been great to us providing us with everything we needed to get the game on. We had a decent crowd attend in good conditions for what was a very entertaining game of rugby and a great opportunity for the veterans to catch up with each other.”

Rochdale was well represented in the game with Carl himself taking to the pitch along with Komai Nualamatua, Dave Chrimes, Steve Lett and Ian Sampson. All five of the Rochdale lads played an important part in the game even Carl who threw in a Joe Montanna impression with possibly the worlds most forward pass. As always with Masters the game ended in an amicable draw with both sides claiming a moral win.

After the success of the day Carl aims to make it an annual fixture and hopes the whole of Rochdale will join in and pay their respects to those who served.

The Rochdale Masters will be training at The Mayfield Sports Centre on sat 27th from 11 til 12 and everyone is welcome to join in whatever your ability, just come down and get involved.

Mayfield chairman Neil Ramsden said: “The Masters phenomenon is a revolution in Rochdale RL this is not a Mayfield side but a true Rochdale side with many of the old Rochdale sides represented.

“What a brilliant way to keep fit, but it’s more than just that with the social aspect being just as important to these lads as the on field heroics. We at Mayfield are more than happy to provide our facilities and whatever assistance Carl needs as he pushes toward a bigger and better 2022 season.”

The club will be open from 12 for post training debrief, anyone who fancies sa pint is more than welcome to join them.

Massive thanks go to Revilo Automotive & Alexander Khan PLC for their support in supplying the two kits. (The shirts are available to order via www.stag-sports.com with a percentage of the sale price going to a military charity)