Goole travelled to Harrogate Pythons for the first time in many years and came away disappointed in a game that they could and possibly should have won after spending the majority of the final quarter in the home team half with the scores level at 21-21. Harrogate getting the match winning score with a converted try in overtime following a break from their own half.
With Lill unavailable, new signing Andy Barrass made his first team debut at off-half with Moore moving into centre alongside Sam Smith, and Will Devenish at scrum half. The game started in a lively fashion with the home side taking the initiative and the lead with an early penalty before Goole woke up and responded well to take the lead after 9 mins of the match with an effective 5m catch and drive from a line out that resulted in a try for Craig Fenton, 3-7. Despite taking the lead Goole were immediately back on the defensive as Harrogate came back strongly pushing deep into the Goole 22. They turned down a kick in front of the post and tapped the ball only to lose possession before accepting another kicking opportunity to close the gap to 6-7. With Goole struggling to make progress into the Harrogate half they remained under pressure, and it took a try saving tackle by Sam Smith to prevent a further score by the home side. Goole did manage to make a rare visit to the home team 22 and were held up over the home team try line with the Harrogate defenders looking suspiciously guilty of pulling down the driving maul. Back came the home team to threaten and win a penalty close to the Goole try line that resulted in an unconverted try thanks to a quick tap, 11-7 with a few minutes of the half remaining. Time enough for both sides to score points with Harrogate extending their lead with another penalty before Newsum scored Goole’s second try with the last play of the half following another successful catch and drive from a line out thanks to penalty awards that allowed Moore to kick for position. HT 14-14.
The halftime score would have been a disappointment for the home team supporters as Harrogate had the edge in the first half and with Goole losing the influential Eddie Newsum due to injury after a few minutes of the second half, things did not look too good for Goole. Harrogate capitalising on their pressure to retake the lead with their own catch and drive try from a line out, 21-14. With Millward now in the 2nd row, Goole continued to dominate the scrums and win good possession in the lineouts as they dominated possession inside the Harrogate half of the field as the game went into the final quarter. It was therefore no surprise that Goole levelled the score with the best try of the game involving both backs and forwards. Danny Holt and Luke Cooper breaking the home team defensive line in midfield as they charged to the Harrogate try line before being held up. The recycled ball and subsequent carries by the forwards resulted in the hard-working Craig Hutton going over under the posts for a well-earned try. 21-21. With 15 mins of the match remaining and Goole continuing to dominate possession and territory, the money was on Goole being the most likely team to score the next points. One could argue that all Goole had to do was to put in the hard work to get into a scoring position but they frustratingly lost the plot with some wasteful kicking. Two highly speculative drop goal attempts from distance and a series of missed touch kicks being wasted allowing the home team to defend their line and then break out of their own half in overtime to score the converted try that won them the game, 28-21.
Make no mistake, Goole were on the back foot for long periods of this match but defended well and took their chances to get them in a position to win the match thanks primarily to the effort of the forward pack, but lacked the composure to sneak the win. The Goole backs rarely getting the opportunity to show their quality against a determined home team defence. Despite leaving the field the injured, Eddie Newsum was Goole’s Man-of-the-Match, and it was great to see two unlikely try scorers in Fenton and Hutton. The solitary single losing bonus point being scant reward for the overall effort as Goole now need to reverse the recent run of narrow defeats starting with their forthcoming fixture against Hullensians at home next Saturday.