Sport Danny boy has Vikings smiling
Goole AFC 2
Wakefield F.C. 1
Once more the Vikings triumphed in the face of adversity as they reached the semi-final of the UniBond President's Cup following a 2-1 victory over Wakefield at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds on Saturday.
They now have a mouth-watering home clash with the winners of next Monday's delayed Nantwich Town/F.C. United of Manchester tie on March 8, their much improved home form standing them in good stead as they look to reach another cup final.
However, early in the second half of this quarter final tie the chances of progress looked slim as the Vikings played second fiddle after conceding an equaliser, and then having Steve Rollinson sent off for two bookable offences. With Wakefield also hitting the woodwork, Ronnie Glavin's side appeared favourites to go on and win the game.
And yet, not for the first time this season, Goole showed a tremendous attitude in rolling their socks up and reacting strongly to being down to 10 men with Danny Buttle scoring what proved to be the winner in an exciting last half hour.
Manager Nigel Danby handed a first full game in 17 months to Chris Tate as he continues to regain full fitness following his long absence and Karl Rose made way for him. James O'Neill replaced Ian McLean at full back, with Chris Jenkinson and Steve Rollinson forming a partnership down the right hand side.
Although the visitors had almost all the early possession, Goole took the lead with a magnificent goal from Chris Jenkinson. The ball appeared to be cleared to safety from a left-wing cross by Buttle, but Jenkinson on the right-hand angle of the area delivered a stunning volley which left Andy Woods clutching at thin air as it hit the top left-hand corner.
The remainder of the first half had few, if any, clear-cut opportunities, the visitors neat up to the final third and then distinctly wayward, and the Vikings orchestrated by Andy Jackson in the midfield, subtle touches by Chris Tate, but little in the way of troubling Woods.
An injury to Liam Chapman before the break turned into a hospital visit for the Vikings defender - a suspected broken nose, better than the feared fractured cheekbone - but it meant more changes to the personnel with Rose introduced.
After the break, and a Glavin rollocking woke Wakefield up to the fact this was a cup match, and with Stevenson dangerous on the left, Sobers with pace on the right, the Vikings looked vulnerable for the first time.
And on 54 minutes they were level when a Jenkinson slip on halfway saw Stevenson away. Although the cross was poor, Chris Hitchings did ever so well to take and then fire home past Parry.
When Howarth hit the post shortly after, and Rollinson's afternoon of misery was compounded with two yellow cards in the space of five minutes, Wakefield were favourites for the semi finals.
Yet, a substitution of Craig Robinson for Chris Tate turned into a well-planned move, the full back returning after a three-month absence and he looked in good nick considering his lack of football.
On 66 minutes Goole, whose heads had cleared, took the lead once more, with Rose doing ever so well on the right-hand side to reach the bye-line. His cross was met by Danny Buttle, who did well to keep his head and fire a right-foot shot past Woods.
It was the perfect tonic for a side under pressure, but who seem to revel in the fact, and they could have had a third when Duncan Bray hit the bar, and with everyone rolling their sleeves up to the task they went on to survive late scares from Craig Laight, who saw two chances to force extra time foiled by Parry - and poor finishing.
Published on 14th February 2008 in Sport.
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