GOOLE VIKINGS 28 SWINTON LIONS 4
IAN RIGG, Victoria Pleasure Ground, Sunday
FORMER Super League star Tom Lineham scored two tries as Goole pulled off a fine win over their high-flying visitors.
Paul Wood’s Swinton had the best of the early chances and should have taken the lead on eleven minutes when Louie Roberts broke down the right and decided to take on his opposite number, but Josh Guzdek just got to him and made a tackle.
Jeylan Hodgson made a break, and it took an excellent challenge from Frank Sergent to stop him making further progress.
The Lions took the lead on 20 minutes when Jack Stevens kicked successfully after a penalty was given for backchat.
Five minutes later he landed another penalty-goal for an off-the-ball tackle 30 metres out.
The Vikings were awarded their first penalty of the match on the half-hour mark, and this laid the platform for Lineham to finish wide out and Reece Dean to convert.
The Swinton defence fell apart again two minutes later when Dean created an opening for Ben Dent to cross between the posts and again Dean added the goal for 12-4.
Swinton’s restart floated dead and Goole exerted more pressure, which they took advantage of when Hodgson slipped a tackle to score under the bar and Dean again converted.
Goole continued the onslaught at the start of the second half and Dean went close with a short kick through which forced a goal-line drop-out.
From this, once again the pressure told when Bailey Dawson latched onto a pass to score on the left and Dean once again was good from the tee.
The attacks kept coming and Harry Higham had to pull off two key tackles before his side finally made some ground to trouble Goole with Jayden Hatton and Higham combining well, but the defence stood strong.
More home pressure on the Swinton line produced a 20-metre play-the-ball for the visitors and Ellis Anderson knocked on, which caused a small skirmish before he was sent to the sin bin for dissent.
More and more Swinton tried to break the defence but every time they were held out.
The final try of the game came with four minutes left when fast hands to the right allowed Lineham to cross wide out for his second. Dean could not convert, but his side had done more than enough.
GAMESTAR: Goole scrum-half Reece Dean sparked a string of attacks.
GAMEBREAKER: The three Vikings tries in the ten minutes leading up to half-time.
MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
3 Josh Guzdek
39 Tom Lineham
19 Callum Shaw
37 Jason Tali
28 Neil Tchamambe
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Reece Dean
34 Jack Arnold
9 Jeylan Hodgson
18 Tyler Craig
12 Bailey Dawson
40 Nick Staveley
16 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
8 Joe Phillips
10 Harry Aldous
21 Ben Dent
24 Callum Rutland
Tries: Lineham (30, 76), Dent (32), Hodgson 35), Dawson (44)
Goals: Dean 4/5
LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
25 Frank Sergent
2 Ellis Anderson
4 Jayden Hatton
5 Harry Higham
14 Jordan Paga
6 Jack Stevens
10 Bobby Shingler
9 George Roby
20 Jamie Reddecliff
11 Gav Rodden
29 Trent Kelly-Duffy
33 Deane Meadows
Subs (all used)
15 Jordan Brown
24 Jonny Openshaw
8 Adam Sidlow
16 Finley Beardsworth
Goals: Stevens 2/2
Sin bin: Anderson (61) – dissent
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 0-4, 6-4, 12-4, 18-4; 24-4, 28-4
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Reece Dean; Lions: Trent Kelly-Duffy
Penalty count: 8-12
Half-time: 18-4
Referee: Luke Bland
Attendance: 636