Rugby league: Mayfield preview

Rochdale Mayfield club crest

This week, Mayfield's NCL side is making the trip to St Helens to the Hattons Solicitors Crusader Park where they face Thatto Heath.

Like Mayfield the hosts were in the National Cup last week where they recorded a massive victory over Cockermouth Titans from the Cumbrian league, so both teams had relatively easy run outs last week. It's back to reality on Saturday 4 May as they return to NCL Premier Division action.

By their own high standards Thatto are having a poor league season so far, with only two wins from six starts they lie in the bottom three. That's not a a position they are used to and they will be doing their best to rectify that on Saturday afternoon. Their last league fixture back in March saw them register a very good win against Wath Brow, so they are showing some signs of recovery.

Sam Butterworth's Mayfield side are fourth in a very tight table where all four top teams could draw level on points this weekend. The standard of rugby so far has been outstanding and teams have got back to the level they were at before the Covid disruption.

Sam is hoping to have a couple of injured players return to training this week to further bolster an already strong squad. Reflecting on last week he said: "I was really happy to progress to round two but some areas of our game still need working on. This will be a much sterner test and to have any chance against a side like Thatto we will have to improve our completion rate, it was poor last week and the lads know this.

"Team selection this week will be tough, but that's a problem it's good to have. We go into this game like any other, knowing we are good enough to win but also that if we don't perform the opposition will punish us."

The NWML team will entertain Wigan St Judes from division three in the NWML Trophy at Mayfield Sports Centre on Saturday. Andy Reed's side took the points last week from Roose and will go into this game looking to progress to the next round. Reedy knows though that these games can be banana skins and will not be underestimating the opposition. Judes are mid table and as always with the Wigan sides, pull out a performance when required. Like Butterworth though, he knows his side have it in them to win through.

Fixtures 4 May

• NCL Premier Division: Thatto Heath v Mayfield, kick off 2.30pm
• NWML Trophy: Mayfield v St Judes, kick off 2.30pm

Fixtures 5 May

• U8s Blues home
• U9s Blues home
• U10s home
• U12s home
• U18s home