Mirfield Spartans produced a dramatic late show to snatch victory at Myton Warriors on Saturday, a try in the closing minutes sealing a hard-fought win in Hull that keeps their winning run alive.
The Spartans travelled with availability concerns, but the squad that made the journey proved more than equal to the task.
There was a debut for recent signing Callum Payne, fresh from an impressive A team showing a fortnight ago, while second-string regulars Tom Coates and Matty Dearnley were drafted in to complete the 17.
This was a very different Myton from the side they’d put a big score on earlier in the campaign. The hosts played their full part in an even, back-and-forth contest that remained in doubt until the final whistle.
The Spartans struck first through a neat close-range move, James Willcock crashing onto an inside ball and forcing his way over in front of the posts. Dylan Waterworth converted for a 6-0 lead.
But the visitors’ grip loosened from there. Jamie McCarthy had a try chalked off in the corner for a knock-on, and Myton capitalised, a ruled-on offload allowing them to cross and level the scores.
The hosts then edged in front, a powerful drive from their prop carrying him over the line, the conversion making it 12-6.
To their credit, the Spartans responded before the break. Logan Sykes did brilliantly to claim a cross-field kick and twist down inside the right touchline.
Waterworth’s effort drifted wide, but the visitors went in at 12-10 and very much in the contest.
The second half was every bit as tight.
McCarthy finished well in the corner off a superb Lewis Toner offload, and the Spartans began to build pressure, only for an injury stoppage to halt the momentum.
Myton came again, their half-back producing a smart show-and-go from the scrum to dart over. The conversion made it 18-14, with time running short.
What followed tested the visitors’ patience. Three potential tries were denied in quick succession – one ruled in touch after a vocal appeal from the Myton bench, another lost when a Dearnley-Sykes move saw the final pass strike the referee, and a third disallowed for a forward pass.
Influential hooker Josh Willcock was then sin-binned for a professional foul.
In the heat, frustrations could easily have spilled over. Instead, composure won the day.
Willcock returned from the bin to break clear from the scrum and race 30 metres to score, Waterworth holding his nerve to nail the conversion for a 20-18 lead.
Disciplined, watertight defence in the final minutes kept Myton out and secured a memorable win.
The result leaves the side locked joint-top alongside Moldgreen and Keighley Albion ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Drighlington.
Photo: James Winterburn
