Mayfield Rugby League

Leigh Miner 52 Mayfield 10

Leigh Miner 52 Mayfield 10

Today was always going to be difficult for Mayfield who were at Champions Leigh Miners Rangers. Although they too are rebuilding after several of last years team have moved on they still have the nucleus of that winning side.

It was however Mayfield that had first chance to score after a Leigh fumble allowed No 7 Michael Brown to collect the ball and scoot as far as the Miners 20 metre line. Eric Johnson quickly playing the ball out to No1 Shaun Snape, who was stripped of the ball virtually on the Leigh line! Leigh then showed their pace in the next set, taking the ball up field and on the last play No 6 Martyn Ridyard started a sweeping move to the left finding 13 John Taylor who passed on to 4 John Woods who then wrong footed the Mayfield defence with an inside pass to fullback Andrew Sarsfield who cut in under the crossbar for the Miners first try on 5 minutes. Ridyard adding the two 6 - 0.

From the restart Mayfield conceded a penalty which took Miners to the Mayfield 20 where Ridyard hurled the ball out to the left wing finding Mark Jones to score out wide. Ridyard again converting 12 - 0 with just 6 minutes gone.

With 10 minutes gone Ridyard again tortured the Mayfield defence with a pass to Sarsfield who got the ball to Woods to score at the side of the post. Ridyard again adding the extras 18 – 0.

From the restart Woods hoisted a 40/20 over the heads of the advancing Mayfield line. Fortunately on the 3rd play Miners lost control and knocked on!

Mayfield then produced some pressure on the Leigh line with two consecutive sets trying to get over the whitewash, but the Miner’s defence was resolute and on the final play Michael Brown’s kick hoisted into the far left corner was knocked on by Leigh’s 11 Adam Thomason. Another set and chance to score was again beaten back by the Miners, again Brown tried the cross field kick into the corner, but defused in goal by Sarsfield, chance gone!

21 Minutes saw a water break and Michael Brown limp off to be replaced by John Foy.
In the 29th minute Leigh again turned on the style with a lovely move from 3 Chris Humphreys combining with 2 Ian Pirrie who returned to Humphreys who then put in 9 Aaran Gorton next to the upright for a fine try. Again Ridyard tagging the two 24 – 0.

On 37 minutes Mayfield’s No 16 John Foy streaked through and was unlucky to be hauled down a metre or so short?

From the start of the second half Leigh applied the pressure again working right up to the Mayfield line and on 42 minutes from the last play No 5 Mark Jones burrowed under the defence to score. Ridyard adding the two 30 – 0.

49 minutes and again Leigh put together another great move when No 7 Scott O’Brien switched back left on the half way catching Mayfield lads flat footed. He found Sarsfield running on his inside and on to Gorton to touch down for his second try of the game. Ridyard converting again. 36 – 0.

Mayfield were looking bemused and within two minutes Sarsfield collected the ball to clear off through some poor attempts to bring him down and gave John Woods in support an easy try. Ridyard missed the extras 40 – 0

Again it took less than a minute from the kick off for Miners to strike again when on the last play Ridyard bamboozled the defenders to go over to score himself, then adding the extra two points. 46 – 0.

3 minutes of misery for Mayfield!

With 58 minutes gone a move down the left wing by Leigh saw what resembled a circus act when at least three of the Miners players juggled the ball one after the other and how there was no knock on no one knows? However you play to the whistle and loose forward John Taylor passed to Scott O’Brien and on the Chris Humphreys to score in the corner. Ridyard again adding the two 52 – 0.

62 minutes and Miners again were rampaging, this time down the right and only a great tackle on Ridyard by Danny Martin saved another score, but he was yellow carded for stripping in the tackle one on one?

On 64 minutes Sean Snape made a superb break fending off tacklers left and right coming up just short. Leigh then knocked on giving Mayfield the scrum and from the base of the scrum a powerful run from Michael Brown took him over for a Mayfield try. Mike Kaufman’s kick slid just wide of the mark 52 – 4

Eric Johnson had been a thorn in the Miners side with his darts from dummy half, but lack of support let him down? On 73 minutes he did find the gap from a play the ball on the Leigh 10 metre line jinking along the line until the defence opened and slipped through for a fine individual try. Kaufman added the two points 52 – 10.

This brought the scoring to a close with no further action coming close.

Mayfield still have a lot to do, but did look much better in parts and with Matt Calland leading from the front, seemed to steady the ship compared to some of the previous performances this season? It is taking time, but I feel we’re getting there.

Miners proved why they’re up there year in year out with a very polished performance. Martyn Ridyard showed what Rugby League is about when he gave his M.o.t.M. 6 pack to the Mayfield players. Nice gesture Martyn!

Mayfield’s M.o.t.M. Eric Johnson
Leigh Miners M.o.t.M. Martyn Ridyard