DEWSBURY RAMS 14 GOOLE VIKINGS 20
KEITH McGHIE, FLAIR Stadium, Friday
THE unblemished kicking of Reece Dean proved the difference as Goole held out a resurgent Dewsbury to record only their third League One victory.
But it needed a desperate last-gasp try-saving tackle from Jeylan Hodgson in the closing stages to stop the Rams completing a dramatic comeback from 14 points behind.
Dean’s perfect goal-kicking – including a penalty – against Jacob Hookem’s record of one conversion from three difficult attempts separated the sides after the game ended with an equal share of six tries.
The defeat puts a temporary hold on the Rams’ recent run into the top four and leaves them still without a win in front of their own fans since Good Friday.
The home side were, for much of the game, their own worst enemies with a host of mistakes thwarting their forward momentum.
It allowed the visitors to leave their first ever visit to the FLAIR Stadium in ‘seventh heaven’ as this was the penultimate of eight straight away games, enforced by the improvement of their Victoria Pleasure Ground pitch and stand.
The Rams paraded new loan signing from Oldham McKenzie Yei among the forwards while the addition of Toby Everett, also on the bench, was the only other change to the 17 whose victory at Workington a fortnight earlier had hoisted them into the top four.
The Vikings, with an extra week since their last game, were able to field an almost full-strength side with the notable exception of star man Jamie Shaul, who was serving the first of a six-match ban for a punching incident at Derwent Park.
That meant returns to the side for Thomas Minns, Reece Dean, Alex Holdstick and Andy Ellis.
Goole defended for much of the opening half but still held a 12-6 advantage at the break.
However the visitors dominated from the restart to quickly open up a three-score advantage and ultimately end a three-match losing run.
Any threats of showers on a warm and thus far dry and sunny evening were hard to believe when Paul Sykes kicked off under a clear blue sky.
Terrific scrambling defence kept the Vikings at bay in the early stages before Mackenzie Harman’s last-tackle kick was deflected back by Neil Tchamambe for centre Thomas Minns to score.
Dean took advantage of the still evening air to add his first points from the tee.
The Rams tried to bounce back immediately and this time it was the Vikings rearguard who were forced into some tough tackling.
The East Yorkshire side conceded a spate of penalties which helped the hosts maintain pressure with Papua New Guinean international Yei being held up.
A late tackle from Brett Ferres on Hookem gave Dewsbury another opportunity to break their duck which, having turned down an attempt on goal, Craig McShane managed to do so six minutes before the interval.
Hookem’s touchline conversion levelled the scores but, with seconds of the half remaining, Minns put an acrobatically diving Tchamambe over in the corner, with Dean curling in a carbon copy of his first conversion to restore Goole’s six-point lead.
Dean added an early second-half penalty as the Vikings added to the pressure by stepping up their line speed and causing some panic in the hosts’ defence.
Harman added a try on the power play to help open up a three-score lead.
But Hookem picked up a loose ball and sent Caelum Jordan racing 50 metres to give Dewsbury hope.
The ageless Sykes and Hookem created another try for winger Tom Delaney to close the gap to six and set up a grandstand finish.
And as Will Shaw appeared to have shaken off enough tackles to score again, Hodgson intervened with a vital ankle tap and time ran out for the hosts.
GAMESTAR: Neil Tchamambe’s speed and enthusiasm caused persistent problems for the Rams defence and he was rewarded with a well-taken try.
GAMEBREAKER: Jeylan Hodgson’s late try-saving ankle tap on Will Shaw.
MATCHFACTS
RAMS
30 Craig McShane
27 Tom Delaney
3 Caelum Jordan
4 George Senior
22 Liam Copland
26 Paul Sykes
7 Jacob Hookem
36 Jamie Gill
31 Jack McShane
13 Dec Tomlinson
15 Keenen Tomlinson
12 Matt Garside
16 Louis Collinson
Subs (all used)
23 Will Shaw
37 McKenzie Yei
10 Toby Everett
19 Jack Briggs
Tries: C McShane (34), Jordan (64), Delaney (69)
Goals: Hookem 1/3
VIKINGS
3 Josh Guzdek
2 Tom Halliday
5 Manoa Wacokecoke
4 Thomas Minns
28 Neil Tchamambe
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Reece Dean
17 Jack Coventry
9 Jeylan Hodgson
18 Craig Tyler
11 Brett Ferres
38 Andre Savelio
16 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
10 Jack Aldous
15 Alex Holdstock
20 Andy Ellis
37 Jason Tali
Tries: Minns (13), Tchamambe (39), Harman (54)
Goals: Dean 4/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12; 6-14, 6-20, 10-20, 14-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rams: Jamie Gill; Vikings: Neil Tchamambe
Penalty count: 7-3
Half-time: 6-12
Referee: Adam Williams