Match Report: Swinton Goole Vikings v Newcastle Thunder Betfred Championship Round 9

Newcastle Thunder had Goole Vikings chasing the game after they scored three tries in the first fifteen minutes in blustery conditions at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds. It was a scrappy start with both teams getting on the wrong side of the referee. 

It was Thunder who scored first as Jordan Lipp broke, he found Joe Law who ran in to score his first of the afternoon on nine minutes. Jack Smith converted and Thunder led 0-6. Shortly after Taylor Pemberton found a gap in the Goole defence, he fed Cody Hunter who found a neat offload to Tom Inman to score, Smith converted and Thunder led 0-12 after eleven minutes. 

Goole hadn’t really been in the game till then but the introduction of Will Jubb from the interchange bench added some zip to their attack couple with Jack Miller and Mackenzie Harman getting some control of the game. But ultimately the first half fizzled out with errors and penalties being the winner.

Goole came out in the second half looking like a team with a point to prove and they threatened from the get go. A Thunder knock on gave Goole possession, this gave the platform for Jack Arnold to power over, Jack Miller converted to take the score to 6-14 after forty six minutes. Goole kept the pressure on coupled with poor Thunder discipline kept the pressure on. Thunder did manage to get up the other end of the pitch and some Cody Hunter magic saw him score following his grubber kick, Jack Smith converted and the score was 6-22.

Goole went short from the restart and regained possession. The ball found its way to Connor Barley who went over on the left to score to take it to 10-22 and it was very much game on. Shortly after Goole scored again as the lively Callum Rutland darted over from dummy half, crucially Miller’s kick hit the post.

It was very much anyone's game at this point as Miller kicked through on the last, 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. Myles Harrison had taken over kicking duties but missed the conversion but the score was 14-26. The final score of the game went to Cody Hunter who did a neat show and go to cap a player of the match performance on the hooter, Harrison converted.

Thunder were made to work hard for this victory against a Goole side who were resurgent after the first quarter. But ultimately that first fifteen minutes for Thunder left Goole chasing the game.

by Phil World