Welcome win secured with dominant show

Published on 8th November 2007 in Sport

Goole 1st XV 20

Knottingley 1st. XV 3

Goole firsts needed to improve on last week's performance against a strong Knottingley side but the start to the match was all too familiar at Westfield Banks on Saturday.

The home side failed to field the kick off, knocked the ball forward and put themselves under pressure right from the off.

Within five minutes Goole had given their opponents some cheap points after an indiscretion at the breakdown and found themselves three points down from a penalty in front of the posts.

In light of recent weeks it could have been the writing on the wall but the low of last week obviously seemed to spur on the home side and Goole tore into the opposition right from the restart.

It was a sign of things to come when Alan Neal fielded a kick in centre field and fed brother Chris. The youngster took off on an attack that saw Goole stopped inches short in the right-hand corner. Goole won a penalty and chose to take it quickly, Karma took a short pass and drove over the line to score a fine forwards try. Alan Neal added the conversion to go into a 7-3 lead after seven minutes.

Knottingley hardly saw the ball for the next hour as the home side rampaged around the field at will, with phase after phase of quick, quality possession that allowed the backs to show what they can do, given quick ball.

It was from such possession that Goole scored next. Phil Neal broke on the blind side and showed some of the skills he has when he sold a dummy to go through the defence and then straightened to take the Knottingley fullback out of the game. The ball was fed to the supporting Dougherty, who went over unopposed. Alan Neal missed the conversion but the lead was stretched to 12-3 after 15 minutes.

Knottingley persisted in attacking the Goole fringes but the close-quarter defence led by Wilson and Walton never looked like breaking. Each time Knottingley tried to attack wide, the midfield defence of Cawood and Dougherty snuffed it out with ease.

Alan Neal took the last points of the half when again the pack rampaged 50 metres down the field, with phase after phase of quick ball, the visitors conceded a penalty at the breakdown 25 metres from their own posts. Neal took the three points to close the half 15- 3 ahead.

Goole could have been forgiven for shutting up shop in the second half after the experience of recent weeks but instead continued to take the game to their opponents. Dougherty was unlucky not to score when the forwards put 10 phases of play together and swept down the field. Phil Neal found Dougherty with a well-timed mispass for the centre to run onto, but he was caught short of the line and the chance was gone.

Cawood was next on the scoresheet, from a scrum five metres from their opponents' line. Quick ball was won and Phil Neal found Cawood with a long pass, the stand-in centre powered through the gap and scored a fine try. The conversion was kicked and the lead stretched to 20 - 3.

Player coach Andrew Wilson left the field with 20 minutes to go. Wilson's skill and experience was the catalyst to this resurgent Goole performance and so it was no surprise that Knottingley rallied after his departure.

Craig Bone replaced the injured Ollie White and the Knottingley player-coach joined the fray for the last quarter. It was a credit to the hard work put in by the home side on the training pitch that saw their try-line remain intact for the rest of the match and finish worthy winners by 20 points to 3.

Goole could have scored 40 points with Dougherty, Alan Neal and Cawood all going close. This performance was by no means the finished article but certainly a step in the right direction. With the support of some of the senior players, skipper Alan Neal had his best game of the season so far.

Phil Neal took some good decisions at stand-off and younger brother Chris looked menacing every time he touched the ball. The Goole pack were magnificent in the loose and set the tone for the whole match. The full squad should take great credit for their contribution in this game.

On a day when any one of several players could have won the Man of the Match award, it took something a little bit special to come out on top this week. Daz O'Brien, having now reached full match fitness after his late start to the season, covered every blade of grass on the field and put himself about in the loose and in the lineout this deservedly won him the Goole Times Man of the Match award.

Now the real work begins, prior to a difficult trip to Pocklington. It will be interesting to see who will turn up for training this week and, just as importantly, what state of mind they will be in. If they genuinely want to progress in this tough Division, then hard work, commitment, courage and consistency are the bywords if this group of players is to progress.