Goole Vikings make it back-to-back wins at Newcastle Thunder

NEWCASTLE THUNDER 16 GOOLE VIKINGS 34
SEB STERNIK, Crow Trees, Sunday

GOOLE secured back-to-back league victories for the first time after seeing off a stubborn Newcastle side.

Scott Taylor’s men scored six tries, including a Tom Halliday hat-trick, as they backed up their maiden League One win over Keighley from the previous week.

Similarly to that victory over the Cougars, this one also didn’t come easy. Newcastle battled hard and scored three tries in the match, which they’ve only managed once over the course of the last eight months.

Despite giving a good account of themselves, Thunder could not end their desperate losing run, which now stands at 32 games across all competitions.

Goole made a positive start to the match and got on the scoresheet early through Halliday. They moved quickly down the right flank, with Reece Dean producing a pitch-perfect pass for the winger, who powered over the line for the opener. Dean went on to add the goal.

The early opener for the Vikings didn’t seem to throw Newcastle off their game, however, as the hosts came back fighting. The young and relatively inexperienced side had a smattering of opportunities, before eventually drawing level on the half-hour mark.

With Newcastle just metres away from Goole’s tryline, Alex Donaghy sent the ball flying on the last tackle with Leo Bradley eventually outjumping his counterpart to collect and score. Donaghy’s conversion brushed against the side of the post before going over to make it 6-6.

Celebrations didn’t last long as Goole showed their quality by hitting back inside the next five minutes.

Jack Potter was able to find Jeylan Hodgson with a quick pass, before the hooker split the defence wide open and powered over the tryline. Dean maintained his perfect kicking record to make it 12-6 at the halfway mark.

Goole started the second half in the same way they started the first – with a Halliday try. The winger once again linked up with Dean before crashing over in the corner for his second of the match.

The Vikings wanted to push on but faced frustration from an improving Thunder side. Goole’s temper climaxed in the 51st minute when Jamie Shaul and Thunder’s Donaghy sparked a coming together.

As the temperature went up, it was Thunder who felt the wrath of the official, with Goole picking up three penalties in a short space of time.

The third proved most costly, leading to another Vikings try. Dean was once again the architect as his pass released Josh Guzdek over the line.

With an 18-point gap on the scoreboard, Thunder decided to hit back. A brilliant kick over the top from Donaghy saw the ball quickly worked out to Tom Siddle. The hooker made no mistake from near the line as he powered over for Newcastle’s second of the game.

But just as Newcastle closed the gap, Goole grabbed two more efforts through Halliday – who completed his hat-trick – and Tyler Craig.

Nevertheless, it was Thunder who had the final say as Elliot Shaw bagged a last-minute effort for the improving hosts.

GAMESTAR: Tom Halliday was as clinical as ever as he bagged an impressive hat-trick against stubborn opposition.

GAMEBREAKER: Goole’s first two tries in the second half took the game away from Thunder on the scoreboard.

MATCHFACTS
THUNDER
1 James Farrar
2 Leo Bradley
3 Mike Hansen
4 Jacob Rennison
5 Jake Dickinson
6 Alex Donaghy
7 Elliot Shaw
18 Harry Price
9 Tom Siddle
17 Toby Gibson
11 George Birch
15 Matty Handy
13 Matty Rolls
Subs (all used)
14 Will Lintin
12 Tyler Walton
16 Lloyd Hall
10 Josh Stoker

Tries: Bradley (29), Siddle (61), Shaw (78)
Goals: Donaghy 2/3

VIKINGS
29 Jamie Shaul
2 Tom Halliday
3 Josh Guzdek
5 Manoa Wacokecoke
19 Callum Shaw
32 Jack Potter
7 Reece Dean
8 Joe Phillips
9 Jeylan Hodgson
34 Jack Arnold
35 Kye Armstrong
18 Tyler Craig
16 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
15 Alex Holdstock
23 Ben Hodder
25 Ryan Wright
33 Dean Roberts