By Tom Kiernan-Wilson
The Canes travelled to the Victoria Pleasure Grounds for Goole’s opening home league game (and the Canes first away league game) of the season and left with two well-deserved competition points.
“Mr Teflon” Lewis Else pulled the strings for the Canes throughout, getting the better of an ongoing battle with another former League One player of the year in Jack Miller throughout the game. Both were involved from the start and while the early exchanges went the way of the home side, Else created the first big scoring chance when he sent Captain Jon-Luke Kirby heading for the line, only for the prop to lose possession with the line open.
The visitors continued to press, and they opened the scoring with seven minutes gone when Goole were guilty of offside. Brandon Moore, Kirby and Else were all involved before fullback Todd Horner dummied and stretched out to get the ball over the line, and Else landed a superb touchline conversion for 6-0.
It took Goole until the midway point of the half to get level with the first of two tries in four minutes from winger Connor Barley. Miller combined with centre Keenan Tomlinson for the winger to dive over in the corner as Miller matched Else in goaling from wide.
Then a great ball steal by Tyler Craig saw Goole back on the attack with Will Jubb going close before Tomlinson again used quick hands to send in Barley a second time in the left-hand corner. On this occasion Miller was just off target with the conversion attempt, putting the lead at 10-6.
Just shy of the half hour Midlands retook the lead on the back of another penalty given away by the home side. Kirby was held up short, but hooker Moore saw a gap following a strong carry by the returning Zeus Silk and darted through to the posts as Else landed the conversion for a 12-10 half-time lead. The Canes may have felt unlucky not to be further ahead as two tries were chalked off for obstruction (Horner) and a forward pass (Chrimes).
Ten minutes into the second half the visitors extended that advantage when a superb 50-metre touchline run by Ryan Johnson saw him take advantage of a Goole error and turn the ball inside to Matty Chrimes. As the winger was falling, he managed to get the ball to the talismanic Else who squeezed his way over the line and added the resultant conversion.
On the hour Goole got back to within four points when the ball was spilled by the Midlands defence and then shifted wide to Cooper Howlett. Miller was given yet another touchline conversion attempt which sailed harmlessly wide under some pressure from the travelling Canes fans doing their best to distract the kicker.
The Vikings then made hard work of continuing the comeback, twice losing the ball with Midlands outside back Owen Restall eventually punishing them the second time around with an unconverted try by leaping into the right-hand corner.
Goole tried hard to get back into the game but yet again they lost possession on halfway, and momentum swung back the way of the Hurricanes. They were then guilty of offside three minutes from time as Tyler Dickinson went close with a good carry before Moore burrowed over with the home crowd screaming for a double movement, but the referee deemed that Moor was still wrestling his way out of otherwise being held up. Else cemented Midlands’ win with the conversion.
Toby Warren (Sponsored by EM Embroidery & Workwear)
Horner, Moore (2), Else and Restall
Else (4/5)
