GOOLE VIKINGS 14 NEWCASTLE THUNDER 32
PHIL WORLD, Victoria Pleasure Grounds, Friday

NEWCASTLE scored three tries in the opening 15 minutes – two by centre Joe Law – to leave Goole always chasing the game.

While the Vikings were resurgent after the first quarter and made Thunder work hard for victory, that early blast was too much to recover from.

Both teams got on the wrong side of the referee in a scrappy start but it was Thunder who were soon on the right side of the try line.

Jordan Lipp broke and found Law who ran in to score his first of the afternoon on nine minutes.

Shortly afterwards, Taylor Pemberton found a gap in the Goole defence and fed Cody Hunter, who provided a neat offload for hooker Tom Inman to score.

Jack Smith converted both efforts to make it 0-12 – and Law then made it three tries in a blistering six-minute spell.

Again halfback Hunter was the provider as his delayed pass found Law to score for 0-16, and the visitors threatened to blow Goole away in the blustery conditions.

The Vikings hadn’t really been in the game until then, but the introduction of Will Jubb from the interchange bench added some zip to their attack, coupled with Jack Miller and Mackenzie Harman getting some control of the contest. 

But ultimately the first half fizzled out through errors and penalties, keeping the 16-point difference intact until the break.

Goole came out in the second half looking like a team with a point to prove and they threatened from the start. 

A Thunder knock-on gave them the platform for Jack Arnold to power over, and Miller converted to take the score to 6-14 after 46 minutes. 

Poor Thunder discipline helped to keep the pressure on but their hosts couldn’t capitalise further.

Instead Newcastle managed to get up the other end of the pitch and some Hunter magic saw him score from his own grubber kick, with Jack Smith converting for 6-22.

That wasn’t game over, however, as Goole went short from the restart and regained possession. The ball found its way to Connor Barley who went over on the left to make it 10-22.

Three minutes later Goole scored again as the lively Callum Rutland darted over from dummy-half, although crucially Miller missed a second successive kick, this time hitting a post.

It was very much anyone’s game at this point, but the crucial try came with eleven minutes remaining.

Miller kicked through on the last, fullback Lipp got the ball and ran a lovely line on the outside of the Goole defence from his own half and then found Andy Djeukessi who raced over to score on his return to the team.

Myles Harrison took over kicking duties unsuccessfully, but Goole were unable to come back from 14-26 down. 

The final score of the game fittingly went to Hunter, who did a neat show-and-go to cap a player-of-the-match performance on the hooter, converted by Harrison.

GAMESTAR: Cody Hunter scored two tries and had a really nice assist for Newcastle, continuing his fine form.

GAMEBREAKER: Jordan Lipp’s break with the score at 14-22 for Andy Djeukessi to score.

MATCHFACTS

VIKINGS
33 Flynn Holden
2 Tom Halliday
3 Cooper Howlett
1 Josh Guzdek
18 Connor Barley
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Jack Miller
30 Liam Watts
9 Jeylan Hodgson
34 Jimmy Beckett
11 Brett Ferres
4 Keenen Tomlinson
13 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
8 Jack Arnold
22 Callum Rutland
25 Brad Bullock
31 Will Jubb

Tries: Arnold (46), Barley (61), Rutland (64)
Goals: Miller 1/3

THUNDER
27 Jordan Lipp
25 Jack Smith
3 Joe Law
1 Myles Harrison
5 Brad Ward
6 Cody Hunter
9 Taylor Pemberton
22 John Sagaga
30 Tom Inman
15 Brenden Santi
24 Matty Foster
11 Harvey Reynolds
17 King Vuniyayawa
Subs (all used)
2 Andy Djeukessi
8 Bailey Antrobus
12 Noah Whittingham
16 Leo Tennison

Tries: Law (9, 15), Inman (11), Hunter (58, 79), Djeukessi (69)
Goals: Smith 3/4, Harrison 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-16; 6-16, 6-22, 10-22, 14-22, 14-26, 14-32

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Mackenzie Harman; Thunder: Cody Hunter

Penalty count: 10-8
Half-time: 0-16
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
Attendance: 707