Captain Greg Smith's cool head salvaged a draw with the last kick of the game as his sublime penalty conversion from the touchline silenced a vocal Rochdale support.

This was a real ‘game of two halves’ as Recs looked to build on the momentum gained in recent weeks. Ian Stanley opened the scoring after just three minutes, slicing through the Mayfield defence after fine pass by Greg Smith. Smith converted.

Recs continued to push, and looked like they had extended their lead as winger Jake Hodgson was sent clear by Ryan Hilliard, only for a fantastic cover tackle to bundle him into touch-in-goal at the corner. Hodgson was soon over again, this time darting inside, only to lose the ball in the act of grounding.

Recs did keep the scoreboard ticking over as Smith converted two penalties to open a 10 point lead with a quarter of the game gone and when Jamie Smith scored a superb solo try on the half-hour mark, Recs looked to be in control.

However, the home side opened their account on the stroke of half-time after a break from their own half was finished in the corner to leave the score at 4-16 going into the break.

Smith continued his perfect afternoon with the boot, adding another penalty goa just five minutes into the second period, but Rochdale began their own purple patch and soon reduced the deficit with a try beneath the posts that came as Recs defenders learnt a valuable lesson in playing to the whistle as they opted to appeal for a knock on, allowing the home side to pick up the loose ball and dive over for a converted try.

Mayfield reduced the gap to two points as a tired looking Pilks struggled to make ground into the opposition half, and then allowing the acting-half to dive over from the play the ball, for a real coach killer of a try.

On the odd occasion Recs did venture into the opposition half, they lacked the killer finish from the first period, with Greg Smith opting to increase the lead with a penalty goal when the opportunity arose with ten minutes to play.

Despite being behind on the score sheet, the home side had the momentum and shorty after kick-off were over for a levelling try as the impressive loose forward shrugged off the tackler on his way to the line.

As the teams pushed for a winning score, Recs had the first opportunity only for Danny Lynch’s drop goal to go agonisingly wide of the right post, before a mistake gifted the home side possession catching the visitors on the back foot and being penalised for offside with two minutes to play. The scrum-half calmly kick the goal to give them the lead for the first time in the game, only for Smiths last second heroics seeing the points shared.

Greg Smith was the AMDEC Man of the Match