Mayfield Rugby League

23/08/2008 Rochdale Mayfield 44-6 Thornhill Trojans

 23/08/2008 Rochdale Mayfield 44-6 Thornhill Trojans  

The start of a new season saw Thornhill Trojans as Mayfield’s first opponents. Both sides were determined to get a good start which probably accounted for the first twenty minutes of nervous, scrappy play with both sides knocking on and dropping far too many passes!

After a few minutes seeing each side probing the others defence it was Thornhill who threatened first when one on one strip off Ryan Douglas on the half way line saw the Trojans go close to the Mayfield line only to lose the ball under some heavy tackling! Eric Johnson then took the ball up field with Todd O’Brien in support, but the final pass slipped from Todd’s grasp to let Thornhill off the hook!

The struggle continued for the next 20 minutes with both sides making the hard yards, but unable to capitalise on their efforts in the final 10 metres?

The score board looked like an advert for ‘Specsavers’ 00 – 00 when the clock reached the 30 minute mark when Thornhill’s No 8 Ben Kendall collected the ball on his own 40 and hit the gas through the Mayfield defence and with Fugawai (Zorro) in pursuit, outstripped him like a winger not a second rower, to touch down under the bar. The effort however resulted in him having a deserved spell back in the dugout to recover! Mark Hodgson converted to put the Trojans in the lead 0 – 6.

A great kick off from Grant Bithel into the left corner saw No 15 Lee Smith fumble and knock on, unfortunately a long raking pass out to the left wing was batted down by Kris Tominay to save a probable try? It didn’t stop the impetus though a minute later when an O’Brien quick play the ball saw Grant Bithel dive in 10 metres from the right corner flag. Mike Kaufman shaved wrong side of the upright to miss the 2 pointer. 4 – 6.

The introduction of Steve Gartland had an immediate effect, organising the lads from the front and in a five minute spell before half time effectively knocked the stuffing out of the Trojans. It started on 35 minutes when Grant Bithel jinked his way through a couple of tackles then slipping a short pass to Garts who was hauled down 6 or 7 metres out. Todd O’Brien was quick into dummy half and one of his trademark ‘sneaks’ saw him under the defenders for a cracker of a try. His first attempt at a conversion followed a similar path to Mike’s previous attempt going just the right of the post! 8 – 6.

Barely two minutes later Mayfield were again pressing forward and Steve Gartland playing from dummy half found Bithel who in turn passed to O’Brien who looked as though he was over the line himself, but at the last second slipped the ball to Eric Johnson for his first try for Mayfield. This time Todd made the kick 14 – 6.

With the half time whistle imminent Thornhill went to sleep when the kick off went to Johnson who passed to Lepani Fugawai who set off from 25 metre out weaving and dodging for a great touchdown under the sticks giving Todd another easy conversion. Half time was duly declared and Mayfield were comfortable leading 20 – 6.

The second half then just continued in the same vein as the end of the first when on 42 minutes Johnson fed the ball out to Mike Kaufman who in turn put it out to Rob Kershaw to banged the ball down 5 metres from the left corner flag. O’Brien nailed the conversion 26 – 6.

Before I could scribble the last try the rampage continued when on 46 minutes Grant Bithel broke through with Ryan Douglas on his left who took the ball to the Trojans 10 metre line where it looked like he was stopped by two defenders, but a sweet overhead basketball type pass out to Kershaw on the wing saw him plunge over in the corner. From out wide the conversion attempt by O’Brien just faded short. 30 – 6.

Guys….give me a break, I’m trying to write here! Barely had Thornhill kicked off when Eric Johnson picked up the grounded ball on the Mayfield 40 and proceeded to leave several Trojans in his wake like a Will-o-the –Wisp he was gone for a tremendous individual try under the sticks. Todd poked over the conversion to make it 36 – 6.

The 49th minute saw Chris Brett bullock his way through several defenders to put them once again on the back foot and in disarray. Steve Gartland again took advantage quickly getting the ball out wide to Carl Abraham to open his account. This time O’Brien again just failed to convert 40 – 6.

55 minutes could have been another spectacular try by Zorro Fugawai down the right wing but skirting the last defender his foot just touched the whitewash with an empty field beckoning?

Thornhill then seemed to get their act together with some resolute defending. Andy Reid made a great break on 60 minutes from a slick pass from Bithel, but his pass to Johnson went to ground stalling the attack!

65 minutes brought a punch-up on the far side of the paddock that resulted in Mayfield’s Andy Reid and Thornhill’s Richard Bostock both getting a red card!

A minute later Ben Heaton took the ball forward as far as the Thornhill 10 metre line where he was grounded. From the play the ball Gartland heaved the ball out to Ben Clare who then unloaded to Danny Chrimes who smashed his way over for the final score of the game as O’Brien missed the two pointer! 44 – 6.

Thornhill showed a lot of character and refused to lie down and were unlucky not to get over the whitewash after a superb Joss Ratcliffe 40-20 gave them field position. From the scrum the ball went quickly left to right only for the final pass to die inches short of the corner flag!

The final act of the game saw Ben Heaton just fail to get to a high cross field kick into the Thornhill in goal bouncing over the dead ball line!

A great start from all the Mayfield lads today playing some good football after what was a patchy first 20 minutes and Coaches Steve Gartland and Janan Billings must have been pleased with the effort although there is still work to be done? Considering so many of last years players have retired or moved on things look very promising for an interesting 2nd season in the Premier Division?

Wednesday evening sees Mayfield visit Thatto Heath k.o. 7.00pm which should be a another tough encounter?

M.o.t.M. for Mayfield was Grant Bithel
M.o.t.M. for Thornhill was Ben Kendall

1 Komah Naumatua 2 Carl Abraham 3 Lepani Fugawai 4 Mike Kaufman 5 Rob Kershaw 6 Grant Bithel 7 Eric Johnson 8 Steve Wood 9 Todd O’Brien 10 Chris Brett 11 Ben Heaton 12 Ryan Douglas 13 Ben Clare 14 Danny Chrimes 15 Andy Reid 16 Steve Gartland 17 Simon Moore.