NEWCASTLE THUNDER 62 GOOLE VIKINGS 10
PHIL WORLD, Crow Trees, Friday
NEWCASTLE THUNDER produced a dominant second half performance to beat Goole Vikings as they ran in 11 tries on Tyneside.
It was Goole who scored the first try of the game after Thunder tried to play on the last. A pass found the floor and Tom Halliday gathered and ran in from his half to score and give the Vikings an early lead, but the conversion was missed by Miller.
It was a scrappy first-half where knock ons and penalties were exchanged but Goole turned up with a plan and executed it well.
Thunder’s first try of the game was scored by Brad Ward. Taylor Pemberton darted and the ball made its way to Jordan Lipp who put Ward in the corner. Myles Harrison missed the conversion.
On 27 minutes Goole took the lead as Liam Watts crashed over from close range and Miller converted. Watts was excellent for Goole in that first period and they missed his experience following his substitution.
The introduction of Mitch Clark and Ukuma Ta’ai off the bench gave Newcastle added impetus and Goole could not live with the new-found energy from the Thunder pack.
As it was, Pemberton’s energy from dummy-half was rewarded on 32 minutes when he scored a lovely solo try jinking through the Goole defence to score. Harrison converted and the scores were even.
The game-changing moment came just before the hooter as a high tackle from Halliday gave Thunder a penalty. Ward got the ball and rounded his opposite man and found Jude Ferreira on the inside to score. Harrison converted, taking the energy out of a Goole side who had executed their plan brilliantly in the first-half.
But, the second-half saw Thunder blow Goole away. Lipp fed Andy Djeiukessi to go over to extend Thunder’s lead before Harvey Reynolds scored a seven-minute hat trick.
For his first he ran a lovely line and Harrison converted. Shortly after, Lipp broke and fed Reynolds to score his second which Harrison converted. The hat-trick was another nice line from Reynolds to go over. Harrison converted and Thunder were rampant.
On the hour, as Thunder were in complete control of the game, Ryan Jackson barged over under the posts and Harrison converted to take the hosts out to a 44-10 lead. On 65 minutes Reynolds turned provider and, as he broke, he found Lipp to score.
Moments later, Djeukessi doubled his tally for the evening as he was on the end of a sublime flick pass from Harrison to go over in the right corner, Harrison converted off the post.
The final try of the evening was scored by Brad Ward as Harrison assisted again to allow Ward to acrobatically finish in the corner. Harrison converted to take the score to 62-10.
It really was a dominant second half from Thunder who ran in 42 points.
GAMESTAR: Brenden Santi carried hard and kept Thunder ticking in the first-half when they weren’t at their best.
GAMEBREAKER: Jude Ferreira’s try just on half-time sucked the life out of a spirited Goole side.
MATCHFACTS
THUNDER
27 Jordan Lipp
2 Andy Djeukessi
4 Jude Ferreira
1 Myles Harrison
5 Brad Ward
31 Nikau Williams
13 Sam Cook
8 Bailey Antrobus
9 Taylor Pemberton
10 Ryan Jackson
12 Noah Whittingham
11 Harvey Reynolds
15 Brenden Santi
Subs (all used)
18 Ukuma Ta’ai
20 Mitch Clark
25 Jack Smith
29 Sean Croston
Tries: Ward (17, 77), Pemberton (32), Ferreira (39), Djeukessi (45, 70), Reynolds (51, 55, 58), Jackson (60), Lipp (65)
Goals: Harrison 9/11
VIKINGS
5 Callum Shaw
2 Tom Halliday
1 Josh Guzdek
18 Connor Barley
19 Ben Hodder
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Jack Miller
30 Liam Watts
9 Jeylan Hodgson
10 Tyler Craig
3 Cooper Howlett
12 Nick Staveley
13 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
4 Keenen Tomlinson
22 Callum Rutland
41 Oliver Polec
40 Tyler Walton
Tries: Halliday (13), Watts (27)
Goals: Miller 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 4-4, 4-10, 10-10, 16-10; 20-10, 26-10, 32-10, 38-10, 44-10, 50-10, 56-10, 62-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Thunder: Brenden Santi; Vikings: Liam Watts
Penalty count: 8-5
Half-time: 16-10
Referee: Freddie Lincoln