Spartans ARLFC

Elsewhere in the league today, Keighley Albion were winners away at Myton Warriors.

Following the cancellation of our game against Stanley, we challenged Keighley to go to Myton and win, and earn their league title outright.

We did our bit by beating Beverley, but they did theirs too.

Congratulations on the league title and see you in the play-offs. 🤝

Fixtures to follow. ⚔️

A much-changed Spartans side got the job done today against a spirited and committed Beverley side.

Congratulations to the lads on a great win to round off the regular season. On to the play-offs!

It's game day in Mirfield! 🏉⚔

Thanks once again to our match day sponsors.

⛓ Steel City Fabrications - https://scfab.co.uk/
🌐 Accelerant - https://whyaccelerant.com/

We will once again be charging £1 admission for this fixture. Under-16s free. Cash and card accepted. Thank you for your support!

Big thank you to our sponsors for tomorrow's home match against Beverley. ⚔

These home games have come thick and fast this last few weeks, and we're so grateful to have had the match ball and man of the match sponsored for every one of them.

Every penny raised goes back into our team. Thank you to everybody who supports us. 🤝

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Sponsoring the Man of the Match award is Steel City Fabrications.

Steel City supply and install structural steel products, including beams, columns and supports, for various construction projects.

Their values are rooted in being budget-friendly without sacrificing quality, being punctual every time, with guaranteed delivery, and providing precision fabrication with guaranteed strength.

Over the past 25 years, they've earned a strong reputation for providing reliable, high-quality steel products designed for commercial projects.

From structural steel beams to custom gates and railings, their products are built to suit your specific needs.

https://scfab.co.uk/

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Sponsoring the Matchball is Accelerant.

Accelerant is a website development and marketing agency that works with clients in West Yorkshire, across the UK and around the world.

Following its purchase of web development agency Burrwalk, Accelerant now manages more than 150 websites, dozens of email marketing campaigns, plus paid social, organic social, Google Ads, digital design and SEO.

They work with several Mirfield businesses, helping them get more customers and manage their marketing / digital headaches, providing value for money and results you can see and measure.

https://www.whyaccelerant.com

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We wrap up the regular season this weekend against Beverley and we’re looking forward to it - against a side we drew with in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. ⚔

It’s been a great year - and the way our lads have stood up at a higher level, recording wins over every team we’ve faced so far, plus tackling the challenge of the last two weeks head on, should all be applauded.

But sadly we won’t have the chance to compete for the league title this weekend, due to factors totally out of our control.

The league has confirmed that they will record a 0-0 result for our fixture away at Stanley Rangers (10th v 2nd), which now can’t be played after previously being postponed.

It means that even if we win on Saturday, and Keighley Albion lose away at Myton, we will still finish behind them, by virtue of us only taking one point from the Stanley game.

If we had been able to play the Stanley game, and win, or if the result had been recorded as a win for us, then we’d finish top, a point clear of Keighley.

Obviously the hard pitch directives from the RFL led to a lot of games being postponed, and we can debate the rights and wrongs of that, especially after then playing two games in four days on the same hard pitch, but we appreciate it was a tough situation.

However, the other factor in the fixture pile-up is opponents requesting new dates, which we have no choice but to agree to. And having to catch up on these games is a direct reason why there are no slots left to play the Stanley game.

We’ve made our thoughts on this clear to the league and have had some good conversations about potential changes for 2027.

We also suggested recording Keighley’s result at Stanley as 0-0 too, so neither side has an advantage, but this was rejected - we have no right to appeal and they won’t change their decision.

To come through the run of matches we’ve had - 4 games in 15 days - and then be denied a chance to play for the title on the final day, for something we can't control, is absolutely gutting for our players, coaches and volunteers, who’ve given everything all year.

None of this is sour grapes, as we’ve had a brilliant season - with the play-offs still to come. To be pushing for the title in such a strong league after winning the YML Grand Final last year, and reaching the second round of the Challenge Cup to face pro opposition, is another massive success.

None of this is aimed at Keighley either, who we’ve enjoyed two great games with this year.

They’re a top side who’d be worthy league winners - and we’re sure they’ll be keen to win their game at Myton on Saturday to properly earn top spot. 🤝

Congratulations again to our coaches and players on an outstanding campaign. 👏

See you Saturday. ⚔

A big thank you to our match sponsors for the home games against Thornhill Trojans and Bradford Dudley Hill.

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Matchball sponsor v Dudley Hill was Daz Tetley.

Daz is a regular for our A team, and although circumstances this year have made it difficult to get many games on, he has shown total commitment to the cause since arriving at the club earlier this year.

Away from the rugby field, many will know Daz for his outstanding career as a professional boxer. A former WBO European Champion, Daz has boxed at Wembley Stadium on the undercard of Tyson Fury v Dillian Whyte.

He remains active in the ring and won his fight against Will Cairns at Odsal Stadium on Fridat night. Well done Daz!

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Man of the Match sponsor v Dudley Hull was Fernhurst Flooring

A long-standing support of our men's team and the current player sponsor of Spencer Peel, Fernhurst Flooring specialises in domestic and commercial installations.

They work locally in Mirfield and further afield, and recently moved into a new unit and office, providing the space for them to continue growing and improving what they do.

Contact Fernhurst Flooring on Facebook or visit fernhurstflooring.co.uk.

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Matchball and Man of the Match sponsor v Thornhill was Changing Climates.

Changing Climates is a market leader in the design, installation and maintenance of air conditioning systems.

The company works closely with its clients to deliver sustainable, high quality solutions, backed by a proven track record for reliability, efficiency and technical expertise.

Its approach is built on doing what it says it will do: staff are highly trained and regularly updated, health and safety is treated as a priority on every job, and support is offered throughout a project and long after handover.

The team covers all aspects of HVAC, from initial design through to installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Learn more - https://changingclimatesltd.co.uk/

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Thank you to all three for backing our lads.

📰 First team match report

Mirfield Spartans’ run of positive results ended on Saturday with defeat at home to Bradford Dudley Hill.

The boys were backing up to play their fourth game in 15 days and the signs of fatigue and injuries catching up with players were now clear to see, but all credit to our visitors, who produced a clinical attacking display to earn a deserved win.

Like in the Thornhill game on Wednesday, the visitors made a fast start, capitalising on confusion after the ball appeared to have been knocked on to race away almost unopposed.

And we appeared to let the frustration get to us, as poor concentration in defence allowed Dudley Hill to add two more tries and make it 0-18 midway through the first half, leaving us with a mountain to climb.

But any criticism of the players should be in the right context - with lads playing injured and a growing number on the sidelines, the effort on show from Spartans can’t be faulted, and the crowd on the sidelines were behind them from the first minute.

And like in the Thornhill game three days earlier, we showed plenty of heart in the minutes that followed, scoring twice before the break to narrow the deficit - although Dudley Hill also added a fourth of their own.

Alfie Copley and Callum Allaway were the men to get over the line as our boys refused to wave the white flag.

And at 10-22, there was plenty still to play for as the referee blew his whistle for half-time.

The break probably came at the wrong time for us, as we were beginning to build some momentum. Instead, Dudley Hill used the break to regroup and reassert their control.

Two tries early in the second half killed off any chances of another Spartans’ fightback, putting the visitors 22 points in front.

Frustrations then began to boil over in the minutes that followed as the game became bad tempered and scrappy.

But all credit to Dudley Hill, who had too much for us on the day, and whose own push for a top four place continues.

For us, it now appears we’ll have a full week’s break before closing out the regular season at home to Beverley next Saturday.

More updates and info will be provided in the coming days.

Thank you to the players and coaches for their immense efforts over this last two weeks, and to our small band of volunteers who’ve pulled together to stage four home games in 15 days.

📰 First team match report

Mirfield Spartans clawed back a significant second-half deficit to earn a well deserved point in their third game in eight days at home to Thornhill Trojans.

Spartans were fresh from tough games against King Cross Park and Moldgreen as their brutal schedule of fixtures continued.

There were enforced absences and several players pulling a shirt on while injured, and when the visitors established a 0-12 lead early in the first half, you’d be forgiven for predicting a long evening for our lads.

But they showed incredible fight all the way through the contest to stay in touch, and would do enough to earn a share of the spoils - even seeing a late drop goal attempt to win the game fade wide.

We hit back before the break with a well-worked try as good hands from right to left created the opening for Rob Jones to slide over, with a great conversion from Dylan Waterworth making it 6-12.

Opposite winger Logan Sykes then finished brilliantly in the other corner to make it 10-12 and put us right back in the contest, although Thornhill quickly added a third try to make it 10-18.

And then a fourth try a few minutes later made it 10-22 - and by now time was ticking away.

But what followed was one of the most spirited fightbacks seen in recent memory, as we scored two late tries and kicked a penalty to secure a point.

Lewis Toner and Lewis Martin crossed the line for the crucial points, with Waterworth adding one goal from two, and then knocking over a penalty from 30 metres to level matters.

The penalty goal came after Thornhill had been penalised after attempting a short kick-off, and then gave away another penalty for an off the ball tackle.

Waterworth's penalty levelled matters, and there was still time for Kian Morgan to cue up a late drop goal attempt.

But the attempt was pulled wide under pressure from the chasing defenders.

Thornhill also rallied in the last minute, kicking for touch from a tap 20 to create a late attacking chance, but Spartans regrouped to repel the danger and secure a deserved point against all the odds.

Well done to our lads on an awesome performance against an in-form side, in their third game in eight days, and well done to Thornhill for playing their part in an entertaining contest.

We’d like to send our best wishes to Thornhill’s Sam Ratcliffe who suffered a serious rib injury early in the second half following a heavy collision in broken play.

Our campaign continued three days later at home to Bradford Dudley Hill. Match report to follow.

A brutal run of matches comes to and as we slip to defeat at home to Bradford Dudley Hill.

The lads showed plenty of spirit after a slow start but just didn't have enough in the tank against a clinical Dudley Hill side.

HT

Mirfield Spartans 10
Bradford Dudley Hill 22