LONDON BRONCOS 92 GOOLE VIKINGS 6
HUW RICHARDS, Cherry Red Records Stadium, Sunday

WHETHER London play in Super League next season will be decided off rather than on the field, but they attended to one thing within their control by demolishing depleted Goole to seal a home draw in the play-offs.

The top two both sit out stage one before entering the end-of-season competition with the advantage of playing on their own turf.

True, either of Newcastle, currently second, and Sunday’s hosts Oldham (third) could match the leaders’ current tally of 42 points from a possible 42, but the Roughyeds would have to overturn the Broncos’ present points-difference advantage of 783, with London losing all three remaining league fixtures.

Whatever the scoreline might suggest, the visiting Vikings did little wrong. They began well, and might have taken the lead if a kick through from Jack Miller had had a friendlier bounce for the pursuing Nick Staveley.

But once London had scored, Alex Walker celebrating his 200th club appearance by taking a deft pass from Jack Croft and surging to the line in the tenth minute, the afternoon fell into a steady sequence.

London have sufficient pace, power and dexterity to score in the space of six tackles from anywhere on the pitch against part-time opponents. 

The main respite Goole were offered was the 90 seconds to two minutes between tries being touched down and their kick-off, taking the best part of 30 minutes across the match.

Even then, the longest their line remained intact was eight minutes, between the 41st and 49th, then the 49th and 57th.

Eight first-half scores came in an inexorable sequence. Walker’s opener was followed by two from the powerful Alex Max, a diving finish from Ted Davidson, Walker’s second and a close-range finish from Lewis Bienek.

There was a glorious moment of brilliance in the 36th minute when Gairo Voro followed two quickfire dummies by slicing between two would-be tacklers to score his 32nd try of the season, then Walker completed his hat-trick just before half-time.

Voro added seven conversions from eight attempts to make it 46-0 at the break, but after missing the conversion of Davidson’s second acrobatically-taken try, handed the tee to Dean Hawkins, who notched four from seven.

Scoring only once, through Robert Mathias, in 16 minutes following Davidson’s score might have suggested that London were easing off.

But Lennie Ellis’ interception score for Goole, converted by Miller, appeared to spark a response.

Voro went over in the 57th minute before limping off with a dead leg, and in the final quarter, Ben Hursey-Hord crossed before Walker claimed his fourth and Mathias a second.

Bienek claimed a second, and Sam Davis’s 78th-minute score was ecstatically greeted by teammates aware of his injury-hit season.

The London concluded with a moment of pure ruthlessness. They regained possession with 40 seconds on the clock and the powerful Emarly Bitungane drove over for a score converted by Walker, meaning the hosts had scored 46 points in each half.

GAMESTAR: Alex Walker showed a true sense of occasion on becoming the third London player to reach 200 club appearances with four tries and a goal.

GAMEBREAKER: Once Alex Max had gone over twice in the 14th and 19th minutes, the sole doubt was the extent of the Broncos’ victory.

MATCHFACTS

BRONCOS
22 Alex Walker
2 Elliot Wallis
3 Robert Mathias
4 Alex Max
27 Ted Davidson
23 Gairo Voro
7 Dean Hawkins
10 Emarly Bitungane
9 Sam Davis
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
21 Will Lovell
12 Jack Croft
17 Marcus Stock
Subs (all used)
14 Finley Glare
16 Epel Kapinias
19 Ben Hursey-Hord
24 Lewis Bienek

Tries: Walker (10, 27, 39, 68), Max (14, 19), Davidson (23, 41), Bienek (30, 76), Voro (36, 57), Mathias (49, 71), Hursey-Hord (63), Davis (78), Bitungane (80)
Goals: Voro 7/9, Hawkins 4/7, Walker 1/1

VIKINGS
5 Callum Shaw
2 Tom Halliday
3 Cooper Howlett
4 Keenen Tomlinson
27 Leroy Ncube
50 Lennie Ellis
7 Jack Miller
49 Owen Haldenby
51 Morgan Punchard
30 Liam Watts
13 Harry Aldous
12 Nick Staveley
9 Jeylan Hodgson
Subs (all used)
8 Tyler Craig
14 Oliver Morgan
17 Jack Coventry
23 Ben Dent

Tries: Ellis (53)
Goals: Miller 1/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0, 28-0, 34-0, 40-0, 46-0; 50-0, 56-0, 56-6, 60-6, 64-6, 70-6, 74-6, 80-6, 86-6, 92-6

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Broncos: Alex Walker; Vikings: Jack Miller

Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 46-0
Referee: Freddie Lincoln