After a poor run of defeats Brods were keen to secure a long-awaited victory but Regional North East 2 is a tough league with no easy opponents. Goole have proven to be hard to beat in the past and have found themselves in the unenviable position of the bottom of the table after a succession of narrow losses. Against a team fighting for survival in this league an uncompromising encounter was expected.

It was another bitterly cold afternoon but following a lunchtime squall the clouds lifted, and play commenced under clear skies. The pitch however was not in its usual pristine condition as an earlier junior game had preceded the main event and the soft surface conditions were ominous for the game ahead. The Brods welcomed the return of fly half Kelly, sorely missed last week, and Murphy returned to a strong looking pack but were missing influential backs Dunne and Dom Georgiou giving the three-quarter line a youthful look.

Brods kicked off down the slope and Goole looked confident with their large forwards driving up field. Aided by 3 penalties in the first 5 minutes, Goole camped in the Brods 22 metre line passing to the right and then left with Brods closing the attacks down effectively. A Brods dropped ball followed by, yet another penalty, enabled Goole to kick to within 5 metres of the Brods line to the clubhouse side of the field. After almost 10 minutes and the Brods had scarcely hold of the ball and with the penalties to Goole mounting and mistakes being made ‘déjà vu’ was brought to mind. However, at the line out the ball was smuggled by Jennings enabling the big boot of Kelly to relieve pressure with a kick to the halfway line.

After disruption of the Goole line out, the ball was dropped by the visitors and from the following scrum the Brods centres Doug Hesletine and Barron each had half breaks drawing a penalty to the home side. Kelly kicked to the bottom right hand corner within 10 metres of the Goole line and from the line the well-rehearsed Brods catch and drive led to the first try of the game scored by Craven after almost 15 minutes played. Conversion missed 5-0 to the Brods.

From the kick off Murphy caught and carried strongly into the visitors’ half with Craven continuing the drive. Expansive play by the saw Brods becoming more threatening and following a Goole throw to their own side, the ensuing Kelly penalty took play to within 5 metres of the visitors’ line on the clubhouse side. After several drives close to the line, the Goole No 6 was yellow carded enabling Kelly from the following Brods penalty to regain position to within 5 metres of the line. Predictably the old catch and drive routine was re-enacted and Craven was over once again for Brods’ second try. With the heavy conditions this was exactly the right tactic. Conversion missed from out wide, 10-0 to Brods after 20 minutes.

The Brods were now in control with their forwards dominant going through a number of phases taking play into the visitors’ half but further Goole penalties took play back up-field to the Brods’25. However, another steal at the line out saw the home forwards drive and march the visitors back some 30 metres. A further drive by Murphy took the home side into the Goole 22 but the ball was lost. From the ensuing scrum Goole kicked to the Brods half where diminutive full back Kemp caught the ball and sped downfield to within 10 metres of the Goole line. From the resulting phase the elusive youngster received the ball again and wriggled over for a fine individual try near the posts, Kelly did not miss this conversion 17-0 to the Brods after 30 minutes.

Goole responded well attacking up field, but Brods were up for it tackling keenly in defence. Prompted by the field gun boot of the reliable Kelly, the home team controlled the remainder of the half and after a series of drives close to the Goole line stopped illegally by Goole, the referee had had enough and awarded the Brods a penalty try, their 4th and bonus point try, shortly before half time. At 24-0 at half time the Brods could rightly be satisfied with a controlled and by and largely disciplined first half display.

Brods started strongly in the second half, and almost immediately a long kick by the Goole No 10 went straight out of play on the full taking play back to the Goole half. After a succession of drives, fly half Kelly astutely put in a well-executed grubber kick from 30m behind the Goole three quarter line, enabling speedy young teenage winger Levi Vining to nip in and touch down for a fine try. With the Josh Kelly conversion, the score now at 31 – 0 after 45 minutes, the game looked won and was more of a question of by how many points.
On 48 minutes, however, the visitors showed their threat and broke from half way down centre field before spreading the ball right where their rangy No 8 ran through from close range to open the scoring for Goole. Conversion missed 31 – 5 to Brods.

From the kick off the Brods collected and quickly passed along the back line before the ball being knocked on. From the scrum another penalty was awarded to Goole, who put in a fine kick to the corner, and going through the phases eventually drove over for a try close to the posts, the conversion making the score 31 – 12 after 55 minutes. At this point Goole were in control, and their vociferous support, sensing a comeback, was echoing from the stand – to the irritation of the Brods faithful. There was no doubt at this stage Goole were playing with great confidence and the Brods were finding their big men in the pack difficult to stop. With Brods now making mistakes and having little on the ball, alarm bells were ringing in the home camp.

From the kick off Murphy once again gained possession and after several strong drives up field Brods were awarded a penalty and Kelly duly rewarded with a kick to the Goole corner. However, play was becoming scrappy and Goole were awarded a penalty of their own. This was retrieved by Kemp and after a number of forward phases with Culf and Craven prominent, centre Ben Barron broke through the Goole defensive line to score a good try, putting more points between the scores to the relief of the Brods. The relatively easy conversion was charged down by Goole who were clearly fired up but the score ticked along to 36-10 to Brods after 61 minutes played.

Inexplicably, the Brods fell into their old habit of appearing to ease of when comfortably ahead in the final quarter. This, of course, is easier said than the reality. Goole were now playing with great confidence and were looking to get something out of the game. They played a very simple game of gaining position in the Brods’ 22 and driving for the line. Goole were holding the ball well and forcing mistakes and conditions underfoot were making it difficult for the home side. After a sustained period of such pressure Goole’s perseverance paid off with a forward’s drive over for a try from short range near the posts. This was converted taking the score to 36-17 after 74 minutes.

Immediately from the kick off Goole broke again and raced through for a good try in the corner from halfway on 76 minutes. The difficult conversion was missed but Goole had their attacking bonus point on 76 minutes. From the resulting kick off, and with 5 minutes remaining, the initiative was with Goole, and their rampaging forwards were making good inroads again, the Brods looking shaky and hanging on. To their credit the home side held out without further scores being made to run out victors by the rather flattering margin of 36-22.

The Brods will be relieved that they returned to winning ways against a strong Goole side, belying their position at the foot of the table. Once more many positives can be taken from the game, particularly the performance of the youngsters in the Brods backs who were more dangerous than their counterparts with ball in hand, giving the home side plenty of optimism for the seasons ahead.