ILLNESS, injury and holidays meant Scorpions had nine players missing from the team which played Leigh East the previous week.

It is a credit to their strength in depth that they were still able to field a side. Not only had they to contend with the disruption, but scrum half Jon Green did not arrive until half-time due to his car breaking down!

Overnight rain put the match in doubt but it eventually went ahead on a very muddy pitch which did not lend itself to open rugby.

Mayfield took the lead with a try after 10 minutes and then Dave Tanner missed a penalty but later converted one to make it 4-2.

Mayfield went further ahead with a penalty and the game developed into a forward battle as both sides ploughed down the middle.

Just before half time Dave Tanner put a grubber kick through the Mayfield defence and Simon Pritchard won the race to touch down.

Darren Knight, playing his first full game for Scorpions, converted from the touchline to put them 8-6 ahead at the break.

The Rochdale side reduced the arrrears with a drop goal but Scorpions went close on several occasions. Then Tanner darted across the field and passed to the supporting Pritchard who dived over for his second try. Knight just failed with the conversion but Scorpions' team spirit saw them through to a hard-earned victory.