Goole’s tough start to the season continued with a narrow defeat against a robust Old Crossleyans team also looking for their first win of the season. In the end, it was once again an isolated lapse that cost them the match after they failed to take advantage of their first half territorial advantage and possession.
Yet again more changes for Goole with two new wingers, Josh Beecher and Aaron Jerry-Murray, with Tom Halliday in at fullback for the absent Danny Holt, and Charlie Walton returning. Crossleyans kicked off as Goole immediately gave them the early initiative after spilling the ball in their first two spells of possession inside their own 22. Thankfully no damage was done as Crocs missed a sitter of a penalty in front of the posts, as Goole then got into their rhythm pushing the away team back into their own half of the field. Yet despite prolonged possession in the Crocs half, Goole rarely found open ground beyond the organised defensive line with occasional penalty kick at goal opportunities being turned down in favour of unproductive attacking lineouts in the Crocs 22. It took a break from the livewire Halliday to get Goole on the scoreboard as he was tackled just short of the Goole line, yet somehow, managed a deft kick to the wing for Aaron Jerry-Murray to catch and go over for the try out wide. The conversion hit the post, but Goole had the opening score, 5 – 0 after 21 minutes. With the lineout working well and Blanchard looking strong in the scrum, Goole gained ground with a number of strong midfield carries from James Chantry and Sean Roberts in particular. It then took a Goole infringement for Crocs to finally get into an attacking position with a lineout in the Goole 22 as the first half clock ran down. Good quality possession and playing advantage from another penalty, Crocs kept the ball alive and were rewarded when their lively centre spotted a gap to go over for a converted try and a halftime lead 5 – 7 from their only spell of possession in the Goole 22.
Goole will have been disappointed to be behind after their first half performance, but it was Crocs that started the second half on the front foot as Goole struggled to reproduce the first half quality of performance. As a result, the game went flat for a spell with little quality on display by either team. Rhys Moore and Tom Drury were now off the bench as Crocs looked the greater threat with powerful ball carriers getting over the gain line with Goole now struggling to get out of their own half. Crocs were held up over the Goole line as they ran the ball back from another of Goole’s clearance kicks, but it was Goole that got the chance to get their noses in front from a 45m penalty kick at goal from Tom Holt. Unfortunately, the ball drifted wide in the crosswind as Crocs then stretched their slender lead after Goole lost the ball in contact allowing the grateful Crocs winger to gather and run unopposed for the unconverted try with just ten minutes of the match remaining. 5 – 12. Back came Goole and they were rewarded with another try from Jerry-Murray this time from a cross kick from Holt. The difficult conversion fell short leaving Goole trailing with just a couple of minutes remaining as Crocs then wound down the clock to secure the win. Another disappointing defeat for Goole who played well in the first half but did not convert their advantage into points. However, the result in tight games often comes down to fine margins, and one lapse was enough for Crossleyans to get their hard-fought win. Among some solid performances across the side, James Chantry in the forwards and Sean Roberts in the backs were the stand outs and were the men of the match