NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 31 GOOLE VIKINGS 6
SIMON JONES, Stadiwm CSM, Sunday

LEADERS North Wales will hope their recent blip is a thing of the past after clinching a first win in three attempts.

That put the brakes on an encouraging run for Goole, who had won five out of six heading to Colwyn Bay.

The Vikings were happy to have experienced former Hull fullback Jamie Shaul in their line-up after completing a six-match ban for punching during the defeat at Workington in May.

And hometown winger Tom Halliday, fresh from signing a two-year contract extension, was back on duty after missing the impressive home win over Swinton, as was skipper and second rower Brett Ferres, who is to stay at the club for 2026.

Crusaders went into the contest having had the blank League One weekend to regroup after successive defeats by Swinton (home) and Rochdale (away) and they started very much on the front foot.

But an infringement meant that play was pulled back after Jordy Gibson produced a deft kick to tee up Ollie Brookes.

As Goole finally found some punch, Jason Tali looked to have opened the scoring when he dived over at the end of a neatly-worked set, but his effort was disallowed for a knock-on in the build-up.

North Wales finally got the board ticking after eleven minutes when Chris Barratt powered his way past the visiting defence, and Gibson added the conversion.

Goole thought they had escaped when Lloyd Roby was held up over the line, but Sam Wilde made that phase of pressure count, touching down for an unconverted try.

In contrast, on 23 minutes, Gibson was on target from the tee after Kieran Taylor touched down from Toby Hughes’ pass, despite a valiant effort by Tom Lineham to keep him out.

With Tali leading the way with strong defence, Goole came into the game more as the first half progressed and finally made an impression as Shaul marked his return to action by slipping through the line after being set up by Josh Guzdek. Reece Dean added the two.

Scott Taylor’s side still went in at half-time 18-6 adrift after Brett Ferres’ tip-tackle on Jack Houghton yielded a North Wales penalty, which Gibson kicked.

Both sides were guilty of handling errors in the early stages of the second half, while Tali made a fine try-saving tackle to thwart Patrick Ah Van as he closed in on the line.

The former NRL, Super League and Samoa player wasn’t to be kept out in the 53rd minute though, and with Gibson’s kick from wide out going through the posts, Carl Forster’s men were 18 points in front.

The margin would have been greater had it not been for Shaul denying the busy Houghton, while Dean’s intelligent kicking provided from respite for Goole and gave North Wales something to think about, with one attack ending when Ferres spilled the ball under pressure from the industrious Barratt.

Gibson slotted a 74th-minute field-goal before Roby claimed his side’s fifth try, with Gibson once again adding the conversion.

GAMESTAR: Experienced North Wales prop Chris Barratt provided power and was a steadying influence.

GAMEBREAKER: Patrick Ah Van’s try on 53 minutes pretty much quashed any lingering Goole hopes of a fightback.

MATCHFACTS
CRUSADERS
1 Lloyd Roby
21 Ollie Brookes
20 Jake Spedding
3 Kieran Taylor
5 Patrick Ah Van
6 Toby Hughes
7 Jordy Gibson
23 Paddy Jones
14 Joe Baldwin
10 Chris Barratt
11 Sam Wilde
12 Cole Oakley
28 Jordan Case
Subs all used
19 Josh Eaves
8 Jack Houghton
27 Ben Evans
15 Shaun Costello

Tries: Barratt (11), Wilde (16), Taylor (23), Ah Van (53), Gibson (78)
Goals: Gibson 5/6
Field-goals: Gibson (74)

VIKINGS
29 Jamie Shaul
2 Tom Halliday
3 Josh Guzdek
37 Jason Tali
39 Tom Lineham
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Reece Dean
34 Jack Arnold
9 Jeylan Hodgson
17 Jack Coventry
11 Brett Ferres
40 Nick Staveley
16 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
8 Joe Phillips
10 Jack Aldous
21 Ben Dent
24 Callum Rutland

Tries: Shaul (31)
Goals: Dean 1/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 16-0, 16-6, 18-6; 24-6, 25-6, 31-6

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Crusaders: Chris Barratt; Vikings: Jason Tali

Penalty count: 7-7
Half-time: 18-6
Referee: Adam Williams
Attendance: 268