GOOLE VIKINGS 0 ROCHDALE HORNETS 50
JAMES CHESTNEY, Victoria Pleasure Ground, Sunday
LUKE FORBER crossed for five Rochdale tries as Goole made an unhappy return to their home base following redevelopment work.
The Vikings, who were seeking a fifth win on the trot, hadn’t played at the Victoria Pleasure Ground since March.
They were stung by nine Hornets tries in total, seven of them converted.
The visitors were on top from start to finish, but this was Goole’s worst performance of their maiden season.
Rochdale halfbacks Martyn Ridyard and Lewis Else dominated against opposition who gave debuts to former Hull FC players Tom Lineham, tempted out of retirement, and Nick Staveley, on loan from Sheffield.
However they and their teammates failed to cope with the speed and power of Rochdale, who built on their victory over Newcastle Thunder.
Rochdale were 12-0 up inside the first ten minutes wit the help of Forber’s first two tries.
He juggled the ball before going in, then finished off wide out on the back of two repeat sets as the Goole defence was stretched.
Ridyard added both conversions, ending with five goals from six attempts after playing for an hour.
Goole were out of sorts in the first period through mistakes, and Rochdale were on hand to punish them with their third try on 18 minutes when Max Flanagan cut inside from the left. Ridyard improved.
Then came the try of the game when after a high Ridyard kick, Dan Nixon picked the pocket of Lineham with a superb take and raced away to the posts, Ridyard adding the two, before Forber sealed a first-half hat-trick.
In the second half, Goole were more competitive, but they couldn’t break down a resolute Rochdale defence.
Seven minutes in, a neat chip by Else was collected by Forber for his fourth, and Ridyard slotted the goal.
Goole then had their best spell of the game and forced a goal-line drop-out from a deft Brett Ferres kick to the line.
Ferres then put substitute Jack Aldous in, but he lost the ball in the act of trying to touch down before being penalised for offside.
In the final quarter, Rochdale turned the screw and ran in three more tries.
The first was a powerful run in under the posts by Tom Ashton after a great inside ball from Else. Forber raced over wide out for his fifth before Flanagan did the same.
Flanagan converted the first and third of those efforts.
Goole’s defeat came at a further cost as they lost Alex Holdstock and Thomas Minns through injury.
GAMESTAR: Rochdale winger Luke Forber claimed five tries and looked dangerous every time he got the ball.
GAMEBREAKER: The Dan Nixon try on 28 minutes to help give the visitors a 24-0 lead.
MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
3 Josh Guzdek
2 Tom Halliday
37 Jason Tali
4 Thomas Minns
39 Tom Lineham
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Reece Dean
17 Jack Coventry
25 Ryan Wright
18 Tyler Craig
36 Andre Savelio
11 Brett Ferres
16 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
10 Jack Aldous
15 Alex Holdstock
33 Dean Roberts
40 Nick Staveley
HORNETS
14 Max Flanagan
2 Dan Nixon
22 Jack Darbyshire
20 Tom Ashton
5 Luke Forber
6 Martyn Ridyard
7 Lewis Else
17 Ben Killan
36 Ross Whitmore
10 Luke Nelmes
18 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
33 Darcy Simpson
13 Emmerson Whittel
Subs (all used)
16 Jordan Andrade
23 Morgan Punchard
30 Isaac Reid
34 Elijah Simpson
Tries: Forber (6, 10, 35, 47, 68), Flanagan (18, 76), Nixon (28), Ashton (65)
Goals: Ridyard 5/6, Flanagan 2/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-28; 0-34, 0-40, 0-44, 0-50
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Mackenzie Harman; Hornets: Luke Forber
Penalty count: 2-2
Half-time: 0-28
Referee: Adam Williams
Attendance: 712