Mayfield Rugby League

26/04/2008 Skirlaugh 22 Mayfield 21

26/04/2008 Skirlaugh 22 Mayfield 21

By “Mad Mal The Mauler”

……..defeat was snatched not by Dick Turpin (who at least wore a mask!) but by another Hull & District T.J. shipped in at the last moment after the scheduled T.J. from Featherstone failed to show! After the debacle two weeks ago at Hull Dockers with the same district’s officials it left a really sour taste in EVERYONE’S mouth! More about this later!

With a fair wind blowing diagonally across the pitch Mayfield had the first half advantage, that is if you could call it that? Mayfield came out with intent like rolling thunder, it only took 3 minutes to register the first score when big Josh Peacock broke the Skirlaugh line from ‘Field’s 30 to the Skirlaugh 30 handing a sweet pass to Pete Draper who put in a terrific chip and with Paul Rolls and Pete in pursuit Mike Kaufman was first to drop on the bobbling ball under the post, Mike easily converted 0 – 6.

In the 5th minute with Rolls attempting to weave his way through a stiff arm flattened him, but one of the other Skirlaugh players decked Jack Sampson off the ball who was laid out for a couple of minutes. The officials all missed the incident? Another penalty on the very next play for another head shot on Kaufman gave him the chance to increase the score, but the wind took the ball and hit the left hand upright and bounced out!

Skirlaugh now launched into several minutes of sustained pressure on Mayfield’s red zone ending when Josh caught a Skirlaugh attacker high and hot shot kicker No6 Jordan Precious popped it over to open their account 2 - 6.

On 15 minutes with Mayfield again calling the shots Paul Rolls put up a cross field kick which was well taken by fullback Lee Waterman under the attentions of the marauding chasers, however while trying to make inroads into Mayfield territory a wayward pass went straight into touch to give Mayfield a relieving scrum. Moments later another Roll cross field kick was just too strong with the wind taking it into touch!

On the next Mayfield attack in the 19th Matt Calland showed his strength and determination to blast out from his own 30 to the opposition 30. Draper took the ball from dummy half and being on the last hoisted a huge up and under taken by Jack Sampson and passed to Jonathon Muir who tried to grubber through only again to go dead!

With 20 minutes on the clock another bullocking run saw Matt Calland crash over under the cross bar only to have the ball dislodged before getting it on the turf, tough luck?

Skirlaugh came close in the 28th minute when Precious put in a kick collected just in time by Jack Sampson, but he slipped in goal and was swallowed up by the onrushing attackers. Tony Hilton used the wind to good effect from the ensuing drop out to put it way over the half way line. Barely a minute later Skirlaugh were awarded penalty out on the touchline, but Precious made the kick look easy? 4 – 6.

On 32 and 33 minutes to consecutive high shots gave Kaufman the chance to stretch Mayfield’s lead from 35 metres but unfortunately sliced it wide!

Mayfield had the ball back a minute later and Draper slipped the ball out to Steve Gartland who put a chip over the advancing defensive line and slipped through to collect and dive in under the bar. Great try! Kaufman added to extras. 4 – 12.

Half time was only a minute or so away and Mayfield were in possession, but a rushed play the ball by Rob Kershaw saw him knock on. From the scrum the ball went out to the short side and scrum half Chris Brown dusted down the right touchline to gleefully touch down in the corner. Again Precious’s trusty boot made no mistake adding the two which then brought up half time. 10 – 12. A very entertaining first half, if you were a neutral, if not, a nail-biter!

The second half started with the wind now mostly in Mayfield’s faces Paul Rolls hoisted a high short kick off Skirlaugh’s No4 David Wilson went up for the ball under the attentions of Draper who forced the knock on. From the scrum the ball went rapidly right from draper to Rolls and on to Jack Sampson who raced down the right touchline to be hauled down a metre short, but with elastic arms managed to reach out onto the whitewash for a tremendous 41st minute try. Kaufman again couldn’t master the difficult wind and the ball shaved past! 10 - 16.

In the 47th minute Calland had again taken the ball 30 metres to the half way, but reacted to interference on the floor with a push/punch giving away a penalty according to the touchie! A minute or so later Mayfield retrieved the ball with Rolls who darted and weaved his way through to hand on to Ian Sampson who was just caught and put down a couple of feet short!

A penalty on half way for holding in the tackle on 50 minutes gave Precious a chance to narrow the margin, but his kick died short. Bringing the ball away towards the Skirlaugh 40 on the last Muir put up a huge up and under with both Skirlaugh’s No1 Waterman and No2 Paul Hannath converging on the descending ball got in each others way and Steve Wood swooped to gather and shot off down the left touchline to dive over 5 metres in. Kaufman again couldn’t improve? 10 – 20.

In the 59th minute the slippery Rolls shook off a couple of tacklers and broke down the left centre of the pitch, but took the wrong option passing inside instead of to Komah Naumatua racing unopposed on his outside? The move died in the tackle!

Both sides now were end to end for the next 10 minutes without getting anything to show for it. Gutsy stuff!

75 minutes however with some sustained attacking by Skirlaugh and a little lax defending from Mayfield gave Skirlaugh No12 Gary Smith his chance to crash over at the side of the upright, Precious again adding the two 16 – 20. Game on again!

Mayfield again collected the ball from the short kick off and on 77 minutes Steve Gartland took what turned out to be a wrong option popping over a drop goal for the one point. 16 - 21.

Precious drilled a hard kick off along the ground with the wind and a couple of metres in front of Mike Kaufman caught the point of the ball and soared way over his head into touch! Skirlaugh could sniff a chance with a couple of minutes on the clock and gave everything to cross the whitewash, but a knock on in front of the sticks seemed to spell the end for them. Mayfield only needed to stick it up their jumpers for a set and hoof it up field or into touch and the game would have been theirs, but on the second play the ball was passed to Ian Sampson who obviously wasn’t expecting it, like every Mayfield fan watching, and knocked it on.

From the scrum Skirlaugh heaved the ball hopefully out the their left touchline ending in No13 Mark Spence’s hands who tried to force his way over in the extreme left corner only to be held up in goal! To the surprise of all the players and Skirlaugh species at that end, Dick Turpin the Hull T.J. who hadn’t given a single decision in Mayfield’s favour all game and with the referee unsighted decided to administer the coup-de-grace and flag for a try with Spence STILL on his back!!!!! A total disgrace/farce……..fill in a necessary! The score now at 20 – 21 and virtually nothing on the clock Precious showed why he’s the top goal kicker in the Conference with 127 goals to his credit before this game. From the whitewash of the touchline and the wind still difficult made a cracker of a conversion! 22 – 21.

Mayfield raced to kick off and yet again retrieved the ball frenetically passing out wide to the right find Kaufman on the wing who was hammered in a ferocious tackle dislodging the ball into touch. The ref blew for time and Skirlaugh celebrated an unlikely victory! Mayfield were gutted, not in losing, but in the manner of it?

In the clubhouse after the game Skirlaughs coach Colin Brown actually apologised for their win as everyone knew who should have won? That gesture was extremely honest and sporting of him as most would have sworn the try was good. Thanks for that Colin! Good luck next week at Leigh Miners who got hammered at home by East Hull 24 – 40. East Hull now march on to the Grand Final at Post Office Road, Featherstone on 10th May.

Skirlaugh M.o.t.M. was Mark Spence
Mayfield M.o.t.M. was Pete Draper

Perhaps the dream is over for this season and a disappointment in losing today but let’s not forget what a brilliant season we have had with some expecting both us and Leigh East to go straight back down into the 1st Division and our own hopes/expectations of consolidating in the Premier that we have excelled in every way! Mayfield have become much more than team, more a Band of Brothers to be very proud of. Our Antipodeans are a credit to the sport and great guys to be around! Unfortunately this was Pete Draper’s last game with Mayfield and fittingly got yet another M.o.t.M. award, as he returns Downunder in May to resume his life there with his gorgeous Missus, Candice. Thanks from all of us go to Pete and Candice, we all wish you well for the future whatever that brings? I hope to look you up in Toowoomba next November and have a couple of cold ones with you both?

The other question is….is it Matt Calland’s last season playing or will he give one more?

Watch this space!

Thanks must also go to coaches Matt and Steve for getting the team to this level! Also Mick and Andy in the dugout who put in so much effort with the lads! Rod and Paul for keeping the ground in great condition. John O’Donovan and Cassie too for keeping things running smoothly, also Barry and John for their great input at the club.

Here’s to more and better next season 2008/9 who knows we could go the whole way? Good luck to Janan Billings who signed for Halifax on Friday which unfortunately made him ineligible for today’s game, but has been massive for Mayfield every time he played!

Finally thanks to each and every player who donned the Mayfield shirt who gave us fans so much to shout about! Well done Lads!

Now that’s me signing off and getting my Saturday night back, I hope you enjoyed the scratchings!