November 14th, 2010
Rochdale Mayfield supporters experienced a roller-coaster ride of emotions at Castleton Sports Centre on Saturday, as their team hung on for a nail-biting victory.
The ups came in the first half with the hosts tackling tenaciously, passing perfectly and supporting superbly to take a 26-0 lead into the break.
It was stirring stuff and the Panthers looked dead and buried as they left the field for the half-time break.
The downs arrived after Mayfield had extended their lead with a tremendous try early in the half – then switched off. Mistakes crept in, penalties were conceded and the tackling at times was powder-puff.
The Panthers didn’t need a second invitation. They upped their game, played some good rugby and clawed back 28 points.
Nerves were jangling in the Mayfield camp as the referee played four minutes of added time, but fortunately the whistle came to the home team’s rescue and they were able to celebrate their fourth victory in succession.
Mayfield were quickly out of the blocks with ferocious tackling knocking the Panthers back on their heels and they were unable to get out of their own half.
The pressure told in the seventh minute, Wayne Corcoran’s sublime inside ball sending the marauding Andrew Moroney crashing over for a try. Corcoran converted then added a penalty, following a desperate high tackle on Ben Coombes.
Panthers were reeling and Todd O’Brien, a constant thorn in their side with breaks from acting half, slipped the ball to Coombes, who nipped in to score.
It was then O’Brien’s turn to dummy his way over from close range.
Ben Butterworth’s looping pass was well taken by Joe Robinson, who stumbled his way over the line. Aidy Gleeson added the extras.
Three minutes before the break, Corcoran spotted a huge gap in the Panthers’ defence to skip through for a try, converted by Gleeson.
The rout looked set to continue when, two minutes into the second half, Saqib Murtaz intercepted a pass on his own 10-yard line and raced 60 metres upfield. He didn’t quite have the legs to go all the way but a quick play the ball saw the ball shipped out right for Kristian Duffy to touch down.
Lesser teams than the Panthers might have thrown in the towel, but they showed they were made of sterner stuff. Aided and abetted by two penalties – the second unforgivably for dissent – they executed a well-worked move along the threequarter line for Reece Henderson to squeeze in out wide.
Another penalty and a series of missed tackles gave the visitors another attacking opportunity and they kept the ball alive well, burly prop Steven Gill powering in for a try, converted by Jamie Benn.
It was then a case of déjà vu as another penalty and poor defensive work allowed Karl Robinson to set up Matthew Bacon for a try. Benn tagged on the two.
Mayfield were ragged at this point and a yellow card for Sean Snape gave the Panthers further encouragement.
A neat grubber for the corner was pounced on by Nathan Campsill for a try and Benn made it a six-pointer to put his team within eight points of the home team.
The hosts were given some respite when Corcoran slotted over a penalty but, with the home fans constantly checking their watches, Benn switched play back onto the inside for Paul Steele to barge over the line. Much to the relief of Mayfield Benn’s successful conversion was the last kick of the match.
Mayfield, like many before them, having established what seemed an unassailable lead almost paid the price for complacency in the second half. Fortunately, inspired by excellent displays from O’Brien, Corcoran and Moroney in the first 40, they had done enough – just – to take the points.
Mayfield: Kershaw, Duffy, Wood, Snape, Namulnatua, Simpson, Ben Butterworth, Coombes, O’Brien, Brett, Moroney, Robinson, Gleeson, Moore, Moores, Murtaz, Corcoran.
Rochdale Mayfield NWC 40
New Springs (Wigan) 20
ROCHDALE Mayfield NWC entertained Wigan New Springs at Castleton Sports Centre on Saturday.
The home side started like a house on fire and after two minutes second-rower Mark Nyland burst onto the ball at pace, knocking three defenders out of the way to go in for a try. Lee converted.
Poor discipline then allowed the visitors good field position, which they capitalised on scoring two quick tries.
Hill pulled one back when he followed his own kick and pressurised the Wigan fullback into a mistake. He collected the loose ball and raced in to level the scores.
Weak tackling allowed the Wigan centre to score between the sticks, before the strong running Abrahams crashed onto a short ball from Connelly and was unstoppable as he crossed the line. Marsland added the extras.
Not to be outdone, Greaves took another neat ball from Connelly and went through the defence like a rampaging bull, Marsland tagged on the two.
A try-saving tackle near his own sticks by Connelly seemed to take the sting out of the visitors and Mayfield began to dominate.
A set move out wide found Nyland in acres of space and he galloped in unchallenged for a try. Marsland again converted.
Solid work from White and Ellis gave Mayfield good field position and Marsland nipped in for a try.
Mayfield’s final score came when Simpson left the defence for dead, dummying and dancing his way over the line.
There was still time for New Springs to complete the scoring with a try on the final whistle.
This was a good performance from Mayfield, with everyone sticking to the game plan and giving their all.
It would have been easy to let heads go down when New Springs enjoyed their purple patch but this never happened,
There were good defensive spells from Hancock and Ellis when the going got tough, enabling Mayfield to get back on track.
Neil Connelly was named man of the match, closely followed by Abrahams and Simpson.
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