This was a strange game to say the least.

The Rochdale team came into fixture seeking points in order to achieve a favourable play off position and on the back of an almighty effort against professional opposition the previous week in the Carnegie Cup.

In contrast to this, the Trojans arrived in Rochdale refreshed after a weekend with no game but desperate for points to pull clear of the relegation places.

Add to the mix a referee who was keen to make use of his cards and the game took a series of twists and turns before ending in a farcical stalemate.

The first half was really a case of after the Lord Mayors Show for the Mayfield team as they seemed to struggle to achieve any sort of cohesion. Their first half cause was not helped when the referee quickly sent two Mayfield players to the sin bin.

First to be shown the yellow card was Mayfield full back Komah Navmatua after only 5 minutes of play.

Richard Pachniuk gave yet another masterclass.

Thornhill made a good break after Richard Pachniuk had created an opening. Liam Morley kicked forward and Johnny Campbell continued the move. As Campbell headed to the try line the referee felt that Navmatua was guilty of an off the ball challenge.

Three minutes later Mayfield were reduced to 11 men when a flare up took place close to the touch line. The touch judge came on with his flag raised in order to attract the referee’s attention. The situation was defused when Mayfield’s Danny Chrimes was sin binned for punching.

Despite the two man handicap Mayfield managed to take a 2 point lead when Thornhill were penalised for a high tackle. Grant Bithel kicked a penalty goal.

Thornhill really failed to capitalised on the sin binned players and began to rue the missed attempts at goal. However, Thornhill stuck to the task and hand and took advantage of some disjointed first half play from Mayfield.

Mayfield’s main tormentor was man of the match Richard Pachniuk. Former Rochdale Hornets player Pachniuk produced a vintage performance by gaining vital ground for the Trojans with a series of darting runs for acting half. Pachniuk also put on a display of precision passing.

Thornhill’s first try of the game was created by Richard Pachniuk when he took play forward. Pachniuk opened up the Mayfield defence and it was his deft pass which found winger Michael Stewart. Stewart took the pass twenty meters out from the try line and charged over for an unconverted try.

It was another pass from Pachnuik which was instrumental in creating Thornhill’s second try of the game. With play close to the Mayfield try line, Pachniuk picked up the ball from acting half. At this point Thornhill had set up a deep attacking line and the obvious option appeared to be to send the ball down this line. However, Pachniuk picked out the charging Anthony Harris. Harris ran onto the pass and proved unstoppable as he went over for the try between the posts. James Craven converted.

Right on the stroke of half time Thornhill once again pressed for the Mayfield line with substitute Danny Lee now at the thick of things. Richard Bostock then managed to flip the ball out to winger Michael Stewart so he could go over for his second unconverted try of the game. Dyson added two further points to Thornhill’s score when he put over a penalty goal.

At half time Thornhill were delighted with efforts over the first forty minutes but were fully aware that with the slope in their favour and after some hard talking Mayfield would come out for the second half a difference side. These predictions were to prove correct as Mayfield gradually clawed their way back into this game.

Youngster Mikey Stewart bagged a brace of tries.

Five minutes into the second half Mayfield took advantage of a Thornhill missed tackle to set up a dangerous attacking move. Mayfield set off at pace towards the try line and a slick interchange of passes ripped Thornhill apart.

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The attack ended with Grant Bithel touching down for a try between the posts which he converted himself.

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It was then Thornhill’s failure to clear a Mayfield kick on the last tackle which resulted in a back to one situation.

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Mayfield pressed forward and a wonderful pass to the corner found Carl Abraham and he went over for a try. Grant Bithel converted.

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A penalty goal from Grant Bithel then levelled the score. So from being comfortable leaders, Thornhill now had it all to do again.

Scott Dyson gave Thornhill the slenderest of leads when he put over a drop goal.

Controversy then erupted when which play of the last tackle Scott Dyson put in a kick to try and get Thornhill out of danger. As Dyson kicked the ball clear he was wiped out by Mayfield’s Ryan Douglas. As Dyson laid pole axed on the ground receiving treatment Douglas was shown the red card to end his involvement with play.

Thornhill used their extra man advantage to once again take the lead. Richard Pachniuk exploited a hole in the Mayfield defence to head for the try line. Pachniuk then sent out a pass which put Johnny Campbell over for an unconverted try.

As the game entered the final ten minutes it was 12 v 13. However, a baffling sequence of refereeing decision saw Thornhill reduced to 10 men in less than 6 minutes.

First to leave the field was James Folan when he was sin binned for a deliberate off side. Folan was then joined in the sin bin by Scott Green when he was yellow carded for a high tackle. The hat trick was then completed by the referee when Danny Lee was this time shown a red card for a high tackle.

Now with only ten players left on the field Thornhill had to defend their lead for the remaining four minutes of play.

Inevitably the game quickly deteriorated into a farce with Thornhill having to resort to forming three man scrums. Eventually Mayfield’s extra men paid dividends when Chris Brett ploughed under a pile of Thornhill defenders to score a try. Grant Bithel converted to give Mayfield a one point lead with only two minutes of play remaining.

Thornhill then threw everything forward as desperation crept into their play. As one last throw of the dice Richard Pacnhiuk slotted over a drop goal. The ball sailed between the posts, the referee indicated the goal was on target and then immediately blew for time.

After all the twists and turns there was nothing to separate the sides at full time.

Match report compiled by Andrew Byram.