GOOLE VIKINGS 20 ROCHDALE HORNETS 14
CHARLIE BOYER, Victoria Pleasure Grounds, Saturday

GOOLE made it two wins from three to complete a busy week after they edged past Rochdale in a tight and error-strewn affair.

Having followed a home victory over Keighley with defeat at Midlands in a rearranged Tuesday clash, the Vikings had enough in the tank to come from behind and move to within two points of their opponents in the table.

Liam Watts gave the hosts the decisive lead eleven minutes from time, smashing through the line following a set restart on the Hornets line.

After an end-to-end opening quarter hour, it was the Hornets who broke the deadlock thanks to Junior Sa’u, who broke away down the left edge before handing the ball to TJ Boyd who finished the job in the corner.

Jordan Paga got his rewards for his tenacious efforts after 25 minutes as he embarked on a barnstorming run through the Goole defence to score with Max Flanagan converting from in front of the posts to take his team into double figures.

Opportunities were few and far between for the home side, and even when they did manage to make a rare foray into the Rochdale half, the away defence stood strong to keep them at bay.

Boyd almost doubled his tally ten minutes before the break but he couldn’t quite latch onto the end of a brilliantly-floated kick from scrum-half Jack Hansen.

Instead, Scott Taylor’s side brought things level going into break with two tries in succession.

Nick Staveley managed to get the ball down amongst a sea of bodies to get his side on the board.

Then Jeylan Hodgson sliced through a huge gap in the Rochdale defence to storm over on the stroke of half-time, before Jack Miller added the extras.

There was cause for concern for Gary Thornton’s side early in the second half as centre Sa’u was forced off the field through injury.

The home side took the lead not long after, following a swift passing move out to the left edge which was finished by Connor Barley.

Rochdale were far from out of the game though and could’ve been level. Boyd launched the platform with a superb break from inside his own half before being hauled down, but George Roby and captain Ross Whitmore couldn’t find their way over the line in the following plays before Paga knocked-on and gifted the ball back to the Vikings.

After a sustained period of pressure on the Goole line, Ethan Wood pounced on the end of a bouncing low kick from Jamie Dallimore on the hour mark to level the scores with 20 minutes to play.

Five minutes later, Dan Nixon rose above the Goole defence to catch Miller’s difficult kick and broke away from his own ten metres. He was caught just past halfway and while the Hornets forced the home side back to their own line, they couldn’t make the pressure pay.

That left Watts to be the hero while Miller nailed a tough kick from wide out and while Rochdale desperately searched for a way back into the game, they looked bereft of ideas as they suffered a third straight loss in all competitions.

GAMESTAR: Goole centre Mackenzie Harman looked threatening throughout and defended resolutely when the visitors had their best spell of the contest in the second half.

GAMEBREAKER: Liam Watts’ match-winning try ten minutes from time proved to be too much for the Hornets to recover from.

MATCHFACTS

VIKINGS
1 Josh Guzdek
5 Callum Shaw
6 Mackenzie Harman
3 Cooper Howlett
18 Connor Barley
42 Jack Charles
7 Jack Miller
30 Liam Watts
9 Jeylan Hodgson
10 Tyler Craig
4 Keenen Tomlinson
12 Nick Staveley
13 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
11 Brett Ferres
22 Callum Rutland
40 Tyler Walton
44 Jack Smith

Tries: Staveley (34), Hodgson (38), Barley (46), Watts (69)
Goals: Miller 2/4

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
22 TJ Boyd
4 Junior Sa’u
3 Tom Ashton
2 Dan Nixon
6 Jamie Dallimore
25 Jack Hansen
8 Jaden Dayes
7 Jordan Paga
17 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
9 Ross Whitmore
12 Ethan Wood
24 Ben Metcalfe
Subs (all used)
10 Lewis Hatton
14 George Roby
19 Luke Waterworth
29 Bailey Pemberton

Tries: Boyd (17), Paga (26), Wood (60)
Goals: Flanagan 1/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 4-10, 10-10; 14-10, 14-14, 20-14

Rugby Leaguer and League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Mackenzie Harman; Hornets: Lewis Hatton

Penalty count: 12-5
Half-time: 10-10
Referee: Milo McKelvey