MATCH REPORT: MIDLANDS HURRICANES 12 - 13 GOOLE VIKINGS (BETFRED LEAGUE ONE ROUND 13)

Gus T surveys the scene (Credit: KDSPhotographs)

Canes stunned by stubborn Vikings

After a frustrating 14-4 defeat to Betfred League One leaders North Wales Crusaders, the Canes were back at The Alexander Stadium for their sixth home league game of the season. Head Coach Mark Dunning’s men knew the Canes would be in for a tough contest with a stubborn and seasoned Goole Vikings outfit, with the two teams meeting in the first round and two late tries from Luis Roberts and Matty Hanley resulting in the Canes leaving the Victoria Pleasure Ground with a 14-16 win. Despite only having three wins prior to this game, Goole will have considered themselves unfortunate not to have won more games with numerous close defeats to the likes of Swinton, Dewsbury and Workington.

The opening minutes saw the Canes come flying out of the blocks and show a hunger to open the scoring early, however a resilient Vikings defence initially weathered the storm from the hosts. Whilst strong in defence the visitors were forced to hand back possession to the Canes repeatedly, including via a goal-line drop out following an impressive high-bomb by Sully Medforth.

As the game hit the ten-minute mark, the Canes opened the scoring as some smart offloads and passes from right to left found Ryan Johnson in space to pass left to Matty Chrimes, with the prolific winger leaping into the left-hand corner to score his 11th try of the season and his 21st Canes try in just 26 appearances (4-0). In the absence of regular kicker Jake Sweeting it was Sully Medforth who stepped up to attempt the conversion from out wide, but unfortunately his effort fell just short of the posts despite being on course.

Matty Chrimes doing Matty Chrimes things (Credit: KDSPhotographs)

The momentum seemed to almost immediately shift to the visitors following that score, and some early flashy attempts by Midlands saw them throw a wayward forward pass 30 metres out from their own try-line. Presented with their first real opportunity to score, Goole largely mirrored the Canes by throwing some deft hands from left to right before a long looping pass to Tom Halliday presented the former Doncaster winger with the ability to make an acrobatic leap into the right-hand corner to score (4-4). Vikings half-back Reece Dean - faced with a difficult conversion from out wide - duly kicked an impressive effort and nudged the visitors in front just after 15 minutes (4-6).

After an approximately ten minute lull, the Canes came closest to scoring again as Ross Oakes put Luis Roberts in a position to leap sideways into the right-hand corner, however his effort was ruled out as he was deemed to have been tackled into touch before putting the ball down on the try-line. It would be another five minutes or so before the Canes found themselves with another opportunity to score as a clunky set picked up when Zeus Silk made an effective run to bring us within a few metres of the line. Young hooker Ethan Newboult attempted to scoot from dummy half on the last, however he was wrapped up by the Vikings defence.

Man of the Match Zeus Silk on the charge (Credit: KDSPhotographs)

The final moments of the first half saw the Canes in the ascendency once again, with some good hands to Ryan Johnson putting him in position to kick a smart grubber that led to a scrambling chase between Matty Chrimes and Tom Halliday to the left corner. A fortunate bounce for Goole saw the ball bounced above Matty’s grasp, and a swift kick out into touch forced the Vikings to concede a goal-line drop out.

From the resulting drop out the Canes found themselves with another opportunity to score, but that was derailed following a late hit by Jeylan Hodgson on Sully Medforth that earned the Goole hooker a 10-minute spell on the sidelines. Knowing that there may only be one chance for the Canes to score before the half-time hooter, Matty Chrimes called for the kicking tee and duly put the hosts level (6-6).

Half-time: Midlands Hurricanes 6 - 6 Goole Vikings

The Canes started the second half largely like the first, and it only took a few minutes for the hosts to regain the lead as some swift hands from left to right found Ross Oakes in a position to pass to Luis Roberts, with the winger running down the right edge before putting the ball down for his second try in as many games (10-6). Matty Chrimes was faced with a difficult conversion attempt from out wide, and despite his kick having the legs it sliced agonisingly wide of the right post.

The game then entered a lull period for the best part of 20 minutes, with neither side able to break the other down nor build any meaningful momentum. As the teams approach the final 15 minutes of the game the Canes found themselves in a promising attacking position following a good run by Aaron Willis, however before Ethan Newboult could make the pass from dummy-half a Vikings defender made contact and knocked the ball out before being penalised for being offside. Presented with an easy opportunity to put themselves into a two-score lead, Matty Chrimes called for the kicking tee and knocked over his second penalty of the afternoon (12-6).

Matty Chrimes kicks us further in front (Credit: KDSPhotographs)

Things would take a turn in favour of the Vikings almost immediately after that penalty. Three minutes after the restart Goole found themselves in a strong attacking position, and following a powerful run left a pass from dummy-half at short range found Jack Arnold who crashed over just left of the posts to the dismay of a usually watertight Hurricanes defence (12-10). Reece Dean added the extras from close range, and once again the scores were level with just over ten minutes to go (12-12).

With the entire game foreshadowing a low-scoring event potentially requiring a drop-goal, the Canes were the first to try and nudge themselves in front with some strong but simple attacking sets. With the hosts finding themselves within 10 metres of the Goole line the ball was passed to Sully Medforth, and the young halfback smartly stepped between two defenders seeking to charge-down before attempting a drop-goal that whizzed right of the posts from a diagonal angle.

There was a sense in the air that this might be the turning point for Goole, and those predictions came true just 60 seconds later as the Vikings made the most of their seven tackle restart to get themselves within 30 metres of the Hurricanes line. Spotting the distance available to Reece Dean, the ball was swiftly dispatched to him and he duly kicked a drop-goal from in front of the posts to put the Vikings ahead with just over five minutes to go.

Winger Luis Roberts in action (Credit: KDSPhotographs)

The Canes tried desperately to get themselves in a position to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat, however Goole’s continued attempts to slow down play proved successful and the full-time hooter sounded shortly before a last-minute kick rolled into touch and brought an end to what had been a generally frustrating afternoon.

Full-time: Midlands Hurricanes 12 - 13 Goole Vikings

Head Coach Mark Dunning praised the effort of his boys but recognised that the Canes had plenty of opportunities to put the game to bed and had simply failed to do so. With other results going against us we slipped into third place on points difference and find Swinton Lions and Dewsbury Rams a point and two points respectively, but the Canes have an opportunity to bounce back as they host Rochdale Hornets at the Alexander Stadium on Sunday 6 July.

The Canes group together (Credit: KDSPhotographs)

MAN OF THE MATCH:
Zeus Silk (Sponsored by This is Warrior)

TRIES:
Chrimes and Roberts

CONS:
Medforth (0/1), Chrimes (0/1)

PENS:
Chrimes (2/2)

SCORING SEQUENCE:
4-0, 4-4, 4-6, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6, 12-10, 12-12 and 12-13.