GOOLE VIKINGS 14 MIDLANDS HURRICANES 28
JAMES CHESTNEY, Victoria Pleasure Grounds, Saturday
THE Hurricanes blew into the Victoria Pleasure Grounds for Goole’s opening home league game of the season and went back to the Midlands with two well-deserved league points.
Lewis Else pulled the strings for Midlands, getting the better of his battle with another former League One player of the year, Jack Miller.
Both were involved from the start and while the early exchanges went the way of the home side, Else created the first big scoring chance when he sent Jon Luke Kirby heading for the line, only for the prop to lose possession with the line open.
The visitors continued to press, and they opened the scoring with seven minutes gone when Goole were guilty of offside. Brandon Moore, Kirby and Else were all involved before fullback Todd Horner dummied his way over the line, and Else landed a superb touchline conversion for 6-0.
It took Goole until the midway point of the half to get level with the first of two tries in four minutes from winger Connor Barley. Miller combined with impressive centre Keenan Tomlinson for the winger to dive over in the corner as Miller matched Else in goaling from wide.
Then a great ball steal by Tyler Craig saw Goole back on the attack with Will Jubb going close before Tomlinson again used quick hands to send in Barley a second time. On this occasion Miller was just off target with the conversion attempt, putting the lead at 10-6.
Just shy of the half hour Midlands retook the lead on the back of another penalty given away by the home side. Kirby was held up short, but hooker Moore saw a gap and darted through to the posts as Else landed the conversion for a 12-10 half-time lead.
Ten minutes into the second half the visitors extended that advantage when a superb 50-metre touchline run by Ryan Johnson saw him turn the ball inside to Matty Chrimes. As the winger was falling, he managed to get the ball to Else who squeezed his way over the line and added the resultant conversion.
On the hour Goole got back to within four points when the ball was spilled by the Midlands defence and then shifted wide to Cooper Howlett. Miller was given yet another touchline conversion attempt which sailed harmlessly wide.
The Vikings then made hard work of continuing the comeback, twice losing the ball with Midlands centre Owen Restall punishing them the second time around with an unconverted try.
Goole tried hard to get back into the game but yet again they lost possession on halfway and momentum swung back the way of the Hurricanes.
They were then guilty of offside three minutes from time as Tyler Dickinson went close before Moore burrowed over with the home crowd screaming for a double movement, and Else cemented Midlands’ win with the conversion.
GAMESTAR: Hurricanes halfback Lewis Else grew into the game and eventually unlocked the Vikings defence.
GAMEBREAKER: Owen Restall’s try with ten minutes to go created an eight-point lead for Midlands.
MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
5 Callum Shaw
2 Tom Halliday
3 Cooper Howlett
4 Keenan Tomlinson
18 Connor Barley
22 Callum Rutland
7 Jack Miller
10 Tyler Craig
31 Will Jubb
30 Liam Watts
11 Brett Ferres
13 Harry Aldous
9 Jeylan Hodgson
Subs (all used)
14 Oli Morgan
8 Jack Arnold
17 Jack Coventry
20 Shane Touhey
Tries: Barley (19, 23), Howlett (61)
Goals: Miller 1/3
HURRICANES
1 Todd Horner
2 Matty Chrimes
3 Ryan Johnson
21 Zach Jebson
18 Owen Restall
19 Sully Medforth
7 Lewis Else
8 Jon Luke Kirby
14 Brandon Moore
10 Tyler Dickinson
20 Toby Warren
12 Oliver Roberts
13 Mikey Wood
Subs (all used)
9 Aiden Roden
15 Elliot Morris
28 Isaac Shaw
16 Zeus Silk
Tries: Horner (7), Moore (29, 77), Else (50), Restall (70)
Goals: Else 4/5
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 10-6, 10-12; 10-18, 14-18, 14-22, 14-28
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Callum Rutland; Hurricanes: Lewis Else
Penalty count: 6-6
Half-time: 10-12
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 672