Jamie Shaul scores hat-trick as Goole Vikings beat North Wales Crusaders in first home game

GOOLE VIKINGS 26 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 18
ASH HOPE, Victoria Pleasure Ground, Sunday

THE Vikings have arrived!

If Goole’s first home match tells us anything, it is that they are not taking their Rugby League invasion slowly.

After a shock win at London Broncos and a humbling by Wakefield, both in the Challenge Cup, this was the first opportunity to lay down a marker at the Victoria Pleasure Ground.

While their home base may currently feel like a work in progress, with a large teepee tent to welcome the teams from, home coach Scott Taylor looking on from a scaffolding structure and temporary changing rooms and toilets, there is clearly a foundation for something solid and permanent already.

On the field, it began as a collective testing of the waters by both teams.

Goole’s resilience in defence held out North Wales’ Sam Wilde and Matt Reid when they were close to the line early on.

Teething problems were likely, certainly for Goole, and it was the Crusaders who were to take the first bite.

A 20th-minute penalty gave them a chance to capitalise, with Goole a man down following Mackenzie Harman’s sin-binning.

That they did. Five minutes later, Patrick Ah Van smashed over to score wide out.

Toby Hughes, who had orchestrated that try, and Jordy Gibson then began to show their halfback pairing credentials for the visitors.

Gibson’s incisive pass to Josh Eaves, just as Harman was due to return, helped the Welsh side lead 10-0, Gibson having converted their first try.

Those setbacks only seemed to spur the home side into a searing response.

Reece Dean’s kicking prowess and Josh Guzdek’s attacking power were key strengths, as Goole began to find their feet.

Dean soon found the hands of Jamie Shaul, who found his feet bursting over the line for his club’s first try on home soil. Dean converted, the first of three from five attempts.

A vocal cheer and a small chorus of ‘Old Faithful’ was heard from the fans – a clear nod to the Hull FC connections in the Goole squad – followed by Shaul’s son, watching from the stand, proudly shouting “my dad’s just scored”.

In continuing their attacking reply, Tom Halliday almost made the most of a 35th-minute penalty to squeeze over.

Shaul then took matters into his own hands, and mostly his feet. His full-length try mirrored the train passing on the tracks behind the ground, as his side went in for half-time 12-10 up. This time, ‘Come on You Goole’ was the chant.

Early in the second half, Goole’s Tyler Craig ended up in the sin bin, after a high tackle on Jack Holmes.

Ah Van was thwarted by Manoa Wacokecoke, and although a man down, Goole scored again as Harman’s cool hands found Guzdek’s safe grasp.

North Wales, now trailing 18-10, were not willing to roll over, and Lloyd Roby teed up Reid, with Gibson’s conversion cutting the gap to two points, before his penalty-goal shortly afterwards levelled things up.

It was anyone’s game from here, and Taylor’s side dug deep.

Harman’s lofted pass found the hands of Goole-born Halliday, who crashed over.

He then combined with Shaul, who chipped through and grounded the ball for his hat-trick in sublime fashion. Dean goaled.

GAMESTAR: Experienced Jamie Shaul was clinical in attack as he claimed Goole’s first hat-trick.

GAMEBREAKER: Despite the sinbinning of Tyler Craig in the 41st minute, Goole found the team spirit so see Josh Guzdek glide over the line.

MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
29 Jamie Shaul
2 Tom Halliday
3 Josh Guzdek
19 Callum Shaw
5 Manoa Wacokecoke
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Reece Dean
17 Jack Coventry
26 Lennie Ellis
10 Leo Tennison
11 Brett Ferres
4 Thomas Minns
18 Tyler Craig
Subs (all used)
15 Alex Holdstock
22 Mike Ogunwole
24 Callum Rutland
25 Ryan Wright

Tries: Shaul (33, 40, 76), Guzdek (48), Halliday (72)
Goals: Dean 3/5
Sin bin: Harman (20) – professional foul, Craig (41) – high tackle

CRUSADERS
1 Lloyd Roby
5 Patrick Ah Van
3 Kieran Taylor
4 Matt Reid
21 Ollie Brookes
6 Toby Hughes
7 Jordy Gibson
18 Liam Cooper
19 Josh Eaves
8 Jack Houghton
12 Cole Oakley
11 Sam Wilde
13 Olly Davies
Subs (all used)
27 Ben Evans
10 Chris Barratt
15 Shaun Costello
2 Jack Holmes