SWINTON LIONS 24 GOOLE VIKINGS 28
IAN RIGG, Heywood Road, Sunday

GOOLE fullback Shane Tuohey struck seconds before the final hooter to snatch victory in a game which was in the balance throughout the second half.

Swinton were 12-0 up inside ten minutes, then led 24-22 with four to go, but the Vikings edged it for their first league win of the season and left the Lions on two defeats from two.

An error by Tuohey, a young close-season recruit from Leeds, gave Swinton some early ball and they made the most of it when Tom Ratchford fed Kenny Baker to crash over by the posts in the sixth minute. Reece Briers added the first of four conversions from four attempts.

It got better for the hosts two minutes later when Gav Rodden sent a nice kick to the line, and it bounced off a post for Baker to strike again.

Goole hit back on 14 minutes when some good pressure near the line finished with Jeylan Hodgson going over from short range by the posts. Jack Miller added the two.

Miller then sent an angled kick for Connor Barley to chase, but the ball ran away from the winger, before Swinton’s Ellis Anderson had a nice break down the left, but was forced into touch.

Goole put pressure on the Swinton line and forced a drop-out but lost the ball early in the tackle count.

Swinton substitute Deane Meadows was sent to the sin bin for a tip tackle after 29 minutes, and this sparked Goole.

They had a few chances before Barley forced his way over in the closing stages of the first half and Miller levelled things up from the tee.

Goole went ahead four minutes into the second half when Tuohey made a good break before feeding Barley to cross wide out, although Miller couldn’t convert.

Swinton tried to hit back and exerted some pressure, but Ratchford couldn’t hold a pass.

Jack Stevens forced a drop-out on 57 minutes and from this, the hosts went back ahead through Briers’ third goal after Aaron Lynch scored under the posts.

Goole were not rolling over, and a Miller high kick proved valuable when Callum Shaw scored and Miller landed a touchline conversion for a 22-18 advantage.

Swinton again came strong with Stevens causing problems, and it was he who put his side back in the lead with four minutes left when he chipped a short kick, followed it up and notched near the posts.

However as the time ticked away, Goole won a penalty and gained the field position from which Keenen Tomlinson and Barley worked well down the left to set up Tuohey to cross from close range.

GAMESTAR: Goole fullback Shane Tuohey controlled his side’s attack and snatched a dramatic winning try.

GAMEBREAKER: Tuohey’s touchdown with twelve seconds to go.

MATCHFACTS

LIONS
2 Connor Parkinson
24 Ethan Fitzgerald
20 Adam Jones
4 Aaron Lynch
3 Ellis Anderson
7 Jack Stevens
6 Reece Briers
18 Bobby Shingler
21 Tom Ratchford
15 Jamie Reddecliff
12 Aaron Willis
11 Gav Rodden
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
14 Jonny Openshaw
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
23 Deane Meadows
26 Jimmy Shields

Tries: Baker (6, 8), Lynch (57), Stevens (76)
Goals: Briers 4/4
Sin bin: Meadows (29) – tip tackle

VIKINGS
20 Shane Tuohey
5 Callum Shaw
3 Cooper Howlett
4 Keenen Tomlinson
18 Connor Barley
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Jack Miller
8 Jack Arnold
9 Jeylan Hodgson
30 Liam Watts
11 Brett Ferres
12 Nick Staveley
13 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
10 Tyler Craig
15 Jack Aldous
19 Ben Hodder
31 Will Jubb

Tries: Hodgson (14), Barley (39, 44), Shaw (63), Tuohey (80)
Goals: Miller 4/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 12-12; 12-16, 18-16, 18-22, 24-22, 24-28

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Lions: Jack Stevens; Vikings: Shane Tuohey

Penalty count: 2-5
Half-time: 12-12
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 622