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Report: Goole Vikings 20-14 Rochdale Hornets

Rochdale Hornets fell to their third successive defeat in all competitions, losing 20-14 at Goole Vikings in Round 18 of the Betfred Championship.

Former Hornets Mackenzie Harman and Jack Miller featured in the starting line-up for the home side, while it was a momentous day for Rochdale centre Tom Ashton as he made his 150th career appearance.

After an end-to-end opening 15 minutes, it was the Hornets who broke the deadlock. Junior Sa’u raced away down the left edge before handing the ball to TJ Boyd, who finished the job in the corner.

Jordan Paga got his rewards for his tenacious efforts after 25 minutes as he embarked on a barnstorming run through the Goole defence to score, with Max Flanagan converting from in front of the posts to take his team into double figures.

Opportunities were few and far between for the home side, and even when they did manage to make a rare foray into the Rochdale half, the away defence stood strong to keep them at bay.

Boyd almost double his tally 10 minutes before the break, but he couldn’t quite latch onto the end of a brilliantly floated kick from scrum-half Jack Hansen.

Scott Taylor’s side did get themselves on the scoresheet moments later as Nick Staveley managed to get the ball down amongst a sea of bodies to get his side on the board.

The scores were level right on the stroke of half-time as Jalen Hodgson sliced through a huge gap in the Rochdale defence to storm over, before Jack Miller added the extras.

With things tied at 10-10 at the halfway point, the game was well and truly in the balance, although two quick tries right before the break gave the home side the ascendancy.

There was cause for concern for Gary Thornton’s side early in the second half as centre Junior Sa’u was forced off the field through injury.

The home side took the lead not long after following a swift passing move out to the left edge, which was finished by Connor Barley.

The visitors were far from out of the game though, and could’ve been level. Boyd launched the platform with a superb break from inside his own half before being hauled down, but George Roby and captain Ross Whitmore couldn’t find their way over the line in the following plays before Paga knocked on and gifted the ball back to the Vikings.

After a sustained period of pressure on the Goole line, Ethan Wood pounced on the end of a bouncing low kick from Jamie Dallimore on the hour mark to level the scores with 20 minutes to play.

Five minutes later, Dan Nixon rose above the Goole defence to catch Jack Miller’s difficult kick and broke away from his own 10 metres and was caught just past halfway, before the Hornets forced the home side back to their own line but couldn’t make the pressure pay.

Then, 11 minutes from time, Liam Watts gave the hosts the lead following a set restart on the Hornets line. That laid the platform for Watts to smash through the line, before Miller nailed a tough kick from wide out to put his side six points ahead.

Rochdale desperately searched for a way back into the game but looked bereft of ideas. Meanwhile, victory saw Goole return to winning ways after their Tuesday night defeat away at Midlands.

It is now three weeks until the Hornets' next Championship clash, away at Midlands Hurricanes on Sunday 19 July.

Goole Vikings: Guzdek, Shaw, Harman, Howlett, Barley, Charles, Miller, Watts, Hodgson, Taylor, Tomlinson, Staveley, Aldous. Bench: Ferres, Rutland, Walton, Smith.

Tries: Staveley, Hodgson, Barley, Watts

Goals: Miller (2)

Rochdale Hornets: Flanagan, Boyd, Sa’u, Ashton, Nixon, Dallimore, Hansen, Dayes, Paga, Kelly-Duffy, Whitmore, Wood, Metcalfe. Bench: Hatton, Waterworth, Roby, Pemberton.

Tries: Boyd, Paga, Wood

Goals: Flanagan