BURY Broncos fielded a side featuring three debutants and a host of young players at Rochdale Mayfield in the North West Men's League on Saturday.

The Whitefield-based visitors dominated possession in the early stages but a string of errors midway through the first half led to Mayfield opening the scoring with a try from close range.

Bury soon struck back with a try from debutant Sean Thornley, running well onto a John Brookes pass.

The conversion from Stephen Critchley gave the Broncos a 6-4 lead at half time.

Bury started the second half slowly, gifting the home side field position, and were again down by four shortly after the break, a converted try from Mayfield taking the score to 10-6.

The Broncos were quick to reply with strong running from the forwards laying the platform for Sean Kelly to put Abdou Radwan over in the corner to level the scores on his maiden first team appearance.

Full-back Grant Carr was next on the scoresheet charging through the centre of the Rochdale defence and racing in untouched under the posts, Critchley’s conversion gave Bury a 16-10 lead.

The Broncos were now asserting their dominance and more pressure on the Mayfield line led to Anthony Crumlish diving in from close range.

Mayfield managed to claw their way back with a score out wide but any suggestion of a comeback was laid to rest with a second try from Crumlish again converted by Critchley, making the final score 28-16 and moving the Broncos up to sixth in the Division Two table.

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In a tighter game than the scoreline suggests, a depleted Broncos' A team lost 40-22 at home to Cadishead Rhinos.

Paul Kynaston opened the scoring from close range after five minutes but Cadishead immediately replied. Will Spencer added a second try for the Broncos on 25 minutes but again the Rhinos were back level soon after.

Cadishead took the lead with a try out wide, but the Broncos drew back to within a score before half time through Ryan Latham to trail 18-14.

The Broncos conceded an early second half try and the home side never really recovered.

A score each from Keiron Marshall and Rob Russell kept the Broncos in striking distance but late scores for Cadishead allowed them to claim the victory.