Brow defence keep Mayfield at arm’s length

WATHBROW .................. 14 MAYFIELD ........................ 0

TWO evenly matched sides battled out out a hard-fought game in atrocious conditions at Wath Brow’s Cleator Moor ground on

Saturday afternoon.

Mayfield were unlucky not to register the first score as they had a sustained spell of pressure in the Cumbrians 20m zone.

Big Joe Taira set out his stall from the start with some power house drives and tackling to match.

Taira’s efforts got Mayfield closest to the line but a failure to play the ball properly let the home side off the hook and they never looked back.

Mayfield fell foul to this new ruling on numerous occasions and it cost them dearly, giving up both possession and position each time.

Both sides were guilty of not utilising possession in the first fifteen minutes but both sides also showed great determination in defence.

Brow scored after fifteen as their big winger found space out wide after a neat passage of play, the kicker couldn’t add the two Sean Slater at hooker did his bestt to spur his team on, this lad never stopped all afternoon.

With Taira attracting two and three defenders every time he took the ball in, gaps were appearing but Mayfield just couldn’t make the breakthrough.

Their frustration was compounded when after twenty minutes they lost Zac Baker with a leg injury.

Baker was a big loss and Mayfield struggled to readjust.

They then lost Taira for ten minutes after high shot and they paid the price as the gaps appeared.

Within the next ten minutes the home side had scored two further tries, one converted to make it 14-0, on half time.

Conditions worsened in the second half and Mayfield could have been forgiven if they’d gone under.

But Mayfield don’t do that and what ever Sam Butterworth and |Steve

Wood said in the dressing rooms worked as they raised their game.

There was no way through though as the Brow defence held tight, The job was made even harder as they lost Lewis Sheridan after the heavy ground took its toll on his recently recovered knee.

Then Taira got another ten in the bin after an infringement in the tackle.

The lads on the pitch did their utmost to get a score, which would have kick started a revival, but Brow were resolute in their defence.

Dakota Tolhurst Ben Metcalfeand Gaz Ellison were immense and they were well backed by Corey Newsome James Mcdade and Trav Long. The MOM went to Sean Slater for a non stop performance.

This week sees both Mayfield open age mens sides at home with the NCL side facing Siddal and the NWML entertaining newly promoted Oldham side Waterhead Warriors.

Both games promise to be keenly contested affairs and the Mayfield coaching staff will be looking to pick up two wins.

The NCL side look to be without two more key players as Baker and Lewis Sheridan are added to an already lengthy injury list.

On the bright side Sam Wright has arrived back and is raring to get on the pitch also in the running for today is new signing Elijah Ponton a big, strong forward who enjoys the physical side of the game and should slot straight into this Mayfield side.

Everyone at the club is thinking of the possibilities ahead and relishing the opportunity for the team to get back to the winning ways of last season, and if they can do that before the injured players start to return the possibilities are endless.

Andy Reid and Craig White will wait and see who is with the first team before naming their seventeen for today’s game.

They will be hoping to have a strong side out for this first game and are looking to start the season with a win