Mayfield Rugby League

This time last week young Eamon Hillen was enjoying the sun in his native Australia but as they say a week is a long time in sport. On Saturday Eamon was basking in the heat of the Mayfield spotlight after leading his new team mates to a resounding 20 – 36 victory over Thornhill Trojans of Dewsbury.Hillen’s personal points tally was 26 made up of three tries and seven goals. Mayfield started brightly on a cold, damp Yorkshire afternoon and were on the score sheet after just two minutes when Tod O’Brien powered his way over from five yards out after good early work from the outstanding Mayfield pack, Gleeson added the extras. The visitors then went to sleep and allowed the Trojans to score two soft tries. Even trailing at 10- 6 the traveling spectators still felt they had seen enough to suggest that the game was there for the taking and that is exactly what the Mayfield lads did. After blockbusting runs by first Simpson and then Robinson, Maroney burst onto a crisp pass from O’Brien to cross the line, up stepped the cool figure of Hillen for his first points in English Rugby League, four minutes later on the stroke of half time he got his next after following up his own chip over the on rushing defence to touch down under the sticks he then converted the try to make the half time score 10 – 18.

 Straight from the kick off Mayfield surrendered possession and Thornhill took full advantage to cross for a converted try. With Hillen and the industrious O’Brien at the hub of everything Mayfield did a victory never really looked in doubt. Robinson, Maroney and Simpson were knocking the Thornhill pack all over the pitch and this paid dividends when the home sides indiscipline gifted Hillen three kickable penalties, which he duly accepted. As we know old habits die hard and Mayfield gave away a string of penalties in return to allow the Trojans five sets of six on their line inevitably this resulted in a home try. This spurred the Yorkshire team on and they threw all they had at the Mayfield defence but they held firm under some intense pressure.  With five minutes to go a good tackle from Kershaw dislodged the ball from the Trojans second  rower this was seized on by Paul Lane who made yards then handed on to Butterworth who’s well timed pass saw Hillen cross for his second converted try. Fittingly the last word of the afternoon went to the debutant who in the dying seconds crafted a try out of nothing and then added the conversion again to make the final score Thornhill 20 Rochdale Mayfield 36. Hillen was awarded man of the match by the Thornhill coaching staff but he was pushed very close by O.Brien and Robinson who were both outstanding add to that the all round work of young Paul Brearley at loose forward and this was probably the best performance from a Mayfield team all season.  Coaches Butterworth and Appleyard although impressed by the performance stressed to the lads that there is still a lot of work to do to get the club back where it belongs. Simple basic errors and needless penalties could have cost them dear on another day and there is only one place to put that right ,on the training pitch Tuesday and Thursday nights.