Mayfield Rugby League

02/02/2008 Mayfield 48 Crosfields 4

02/02/2008 Mayfield 48 Crosfields 4

By “Mad Mal The Mauler”

After last night’s snow play was confirmed at 11.00am and any further snowfalls thankfully didn’t materialise although it was bitterly cold with a layer of thawing mush on the surface of the pitch making handling a little tricky at times!

Janan Billings posted his intent with a determined return of the ball right from the kick off and in the ensuing tackle sustained an ankle injury that saw him off the meadow for the rest of the game, a blow to Mayfield to say the least? During the time it took for Billings substitution to take place Crosfields almost penetrated Mayfield’s defence and were only brought to a halt a couple of metres out. Mayfield then regained some composure and on 5 minutes with the line begging only a forward pass foiled Steve Wood to open the scoring? In the seventh minute Crosfield again threatened the Mayfield line and No 13 Craig Noone was unlucky to be held up over the whitewash!

Mayfield used the next set to work down field and a move from right to left found Mike Kaufman in enough space to score to first try 10 metres in, he duly converted to make it 6 – 0

Straight from the re-start Kaufman fumbled the ball to give Crosfields a scrum on Mayfield’s 20 which came to naught after some dodgy handling in attack turned the ball back over to Mayfield again!

On 14 minutes Mike Kaufman made another break on the left wing from half way and slipped a peach of a pass to Pete Draper who eluded the chasing pack to touch down to the left of the upright, Kaufman easily converted 12 – 0

De ja vu/Groundhog Day (incidentally it WAS Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania USA!) from the re-start as the ball was again fumbled and knocked on in an identical fashion as the last! This time at the end of Crosfields set a grubber from Andy Campbell was just too strong and went dead. Only 4 minutes later after some sloppy defending from Mayfield, Campbell fed a pass inside to No 11 Chris Burgess for the only Crosfields score of the day! Campbell’s attempt to convert failing 12 – 4

It was around this time that Pete Draper was withdrawn from the game with an ankle injury leaving Mayfield effectively playing with 15 men for the rest of the game! With 25 minutes gone and Mayfield running with some confidence a lovely move down the right saw Paul Rolls, Ryan Douglas and Carl Abraham combining and only Abraham’s right foot touching the whitewash denying him a try! However in the very next attack with Rolls, Douglas and this time Steve Wood combining there was no mistake and Woody went in for his first try. Kaufman again put it over for the extras 18 – 4

On 30 minutes Grant Bithel, Mayfield’s new signing from Oldham St Annes, made a great run and passed on to Ian Sampson, who decided to try to cut under the posts instead of being satisfied going in at the side of the sticks and somehow lost control of the egg and dropped it?

With the half time whistle ready to blow Steve Gartland hoisted a beautiful pin point high kick from the half way line to the right hand corner where the Crosfields fullback Stuart Hitchen fumbled the in goal with Steve Wood bearing down on him at pace and Woody notched his second. From out wide Kaufman just fell short with the kick! 22 – 4, this was the last action of the half!

The first effective attack of the second half came on 46 minutes with Steve Wood breaking through with Douglas supporting and Steve Gartland on his shoulder to take the final pass and go in under the sticks, Mike Kaufman popping this one over to make it 28 – 4

On 50 minutes a storming run from Chris Brett scattered Crosfields defenders like ninepins, then put No 14 Grant Bithel in under the post for a corker of a try only to be disallowed on the intervention of the touchie for a forward pass that nobody else this side of the Pennines witnessed?

Only a minute later and still under immense pressure Crosfields No 11 Chris Burgess was adjudged to have intentionally tripped Paul Rolls and was straight red carded. To be honest most speccies thought this was a little harsh and wasn’t intentional although Rolls did go down over Burgess’s stray leg? With this event Crosfields were all at sea and several consecutive penalties saw the inevitable ending with Rolls heaving a pass out wide to Mike Kaufman who went in at the left hand corner. Mike couldn’t make the kick though? 32 – 4

Again Crosfields were under constant attack by Mayfield and desperately defending their line, but in the 69th minute Steve Gartland side slipped through a couple of defenders to hand on to Grant Bithel to finally get the try he deserved under the posts. Kaufman converting 38 – 4

The 71st minute saw Referee Mr Barrie show yellow cards to Crosfields No 4 Ian Boden and Mayfield’s No5 Rob Kershaw for a bout of handbags, nothing more?

On 75 minutes Mayfield were awarded penalty on the half way line for yet another high shot and the tiring Crosfields lads who had given their all were left in the wake of Steve Wood who completed his hat trick over in the right corner. Kaufman’s kick died under the bar 42 – 4

The last attack of the day came in the 78th minutes started by Woody breaking on the right and slipping a pass to Steve Gartland to touch down 10 metres in. Mike Kaufman converted to make the final score 48 – 4

In the cold and wet conditions, today’s performance wasn’t as good as of late as a team, but some pretty good individual performances were on show with Ben Eaton, Grant Bithel, Jonathon Petty, Danny Chrimes and Chris Brett working hard to make up for the shortfall in Billings and Draper taking early baths due to injury.

Steve Wood and Mike Kaufman were in top scoring mood today and Ryan Douglas was totally tireless in his work rate deservedly getting Mayfield’s M.o.t.M award for the second week running!

Crosfields M.o.t.M. was Craig Noone.