Disappointing visitors beaten
MAYFIELD took the short journey to Holmfirth to face newly promoted Underbank Rangers, but came away without the league points and hugely disappointed by their performance.
Underbank’s quirky little ground is a throw-back to Rugby League of the past but the conditions were fine and the undulating pitch cried out for good game management – something Mayfield have been unable to produce so far this season.
Playing down the hill, Mayfield finished the first set with a kick to the bottom corner but then let Underbank off the hook by conceding possession on two occasions and giving away a penalty under the posts, Underbank converted it for 2-0.
Mayfield hit back and of the back of a quick play the ball from Aidan Gleeson, Paul Brearley put Lewis Butterworth in for a try, converted by Ieuan Higgs for 2-6.
Underbank hit back almost straight away as Mayfield again gave the ball away in their own half and the Mayfield defence were guilty of shirt grabbing, the homeside’s left centre coasted in for a try and 8-6 lead.
It became clear that Underbank were full of enthusiasm, straight running and simply tackling the ball carrier, whilst Mayfield wanted to score untouched off set plays and were roundly out enthused.
Underbank again finished a set and kicked long to pressure Matty Chrimes, who was forced behind his own try line.
Mayfield survived, and Callum Marriott broke from his own half but offloaded to no-one and Underbank recovered the ball.
As Underbank again got to their kick downfield, Paul Brearley pressurised the kicker but he evaded the Mayfield captain and hacked the ball downfield were Keiran Harmer dropped it.
The home side forced another drop out and then scored again as simple passing to the left had the Mayfield defenders, unsuccessfully, grasping at shirts after giving the attackers the outside.
It was 12-6 to the homeside but Mayfield hit back when they finally got possession in the Underbank half and worked to the line for Aidan Gleeson to crash over from short range.
Iuean Higgs converted for 12-12 after 25 minutes but Mayfield selfdestructed again, giving away a penalty on the last tackle, then again giving the attackers space on the outside, first on the right as the second rower broke through, then on the left for a carbon copy repeat of the previous try and 18-12.
Mayfield showed that they could control the ball, as they finished a set with a deep kick, forced an error in the homesides half, and Paul Brearley grubber kicked through for himself to score.
Ieuan Higgs missed the relatively simple conversion so it stayed at 18-16.
Mayfield then switched off at the restart and the right hand side defence again gave their opposites the outside and couldn’t recover as simple passing gave them another try and 22-16 half time lead.
The visitors faced the prospect of playing uphill, but had been shown by Underbank that simple Rugby League and enthusiastic defence pays dividends.
Mayfield tried this to start but when the officials missed a clear restart of the tackle count on a charged down Mayfield kick, seemed to revert to errors and switching off.
Time and time again they failed to use a long kick to the bottom cornerwhere exit sets were nigh on impossible, and they persisted with short kickoffs-none of which were recovered but gave easy yards to the opposition.
A penalty for offside gave the homeside good field position and they forced their way over from short range for 28-16.
Mayfield lost promising young winger Christain Avis to a serious ankle injury and again selfdestructed with a knock on at the play the ball on in their own half and Underbank again took advantage with a try in the corner, albeit from missed forward pass.
At 32-16 and the game was gone but Mayfield still had pride to play for.
Callum Marriott saw yellow after reacting to constant niggling from the opposition half back, and this sparked a bit of a Mayfield fightback as Iuean Higgs intercepted a pass to score for 32-22.
The visiting fans thought there could be a miracle comeback on the cards as Andy Taylor broke the defence and broke up field, but he inexplicably kicked into midfield and Underbank caught the ball clean to score easily under the posts and take a 38-22 victory.
Mayfield again showed they have the skills and personnel to win games like this, but effort and endeavour usually wins out over trick plays, and Mayfield’s lack of game management and propensity to make unforced errors cost them the two points again.
Lewis Butterworth. Keiran Harmer, Lewis Jackson, Matty Chrimes, Christian Avis. Paul Brearley, Iuean Higgs. Simon Moore, Callum Ogden, Jimmy Connaughton, Callum Marriott, Macauley Donnelly, Aidan Gleeson. Nick Hargreaves, Jake Boardman, Declan Sheridan, Andy Taylor. a