Goole (U14) vs Hull Ionians (U14) Sunday 9th November

Goole (U14) vs Hull Ionians (U14) Sunday 9th November

Despite a penetrating, chill-to-your-bones, gale blowing across the pitch and making playing conditions far from ideal, the visitors served up a fine lesson in how to ignore the elements and just get on with game, running out comfortable winners by 20 points to 5.
Once again I’s took to the pitch with a much smaller pack than their opponents, and in the early exchanges realised that this was a day to face up and show commitment from first whistle to last.
No player encapsulated that approach more than prop James Heap who was in the thick of things throughout, making some fearsome tackles and penetrating drives, continually getting his team going forward and on the front foot against a physically superior opposing set of forwards.
I’s opened the scoring after 10 minutes when, from his own 22, Jack Johnson made a superb run almost the entire length of the pitch. As he was brought down just short of the line by a great cover tackle he delivered a one-handed offload inside to James Norton, who cantered in for the remaining 10 yards to touch down in the corner.
Goole replied soon after, when a couple of missed tackles allowed them to make sufficient yardage to attack the I’s line and close out with a try by the corner flag, and leave the match tied 5-5 with halftime approaching.
However I‘s were soon back on the attack and took the lead once more with a well worked try. From a position wide out on the right between the 10 metre and 22 metre lines first Peter Stone and then Ben Willingham each picked up and brought the ball back inside to set up a ruck centre field just to the right of the posts inside the Goole 22 . Quick ball to fly half Tyler Heelas, who initially feinted left and then cut back right, seeing the overlap. Two quick passes were enough for winger Ollie Martin to run in unopposed and touch down wide out.
With only a 5 point lead at half time and turning to face the strong wind, the muttering amongst the visitors supporters was whether 5 points would be sufficient to hold out against the home side.
Playing sensible, possession based, rugby, I’s were, however, soon stretching their lead to 15-5 as their forwards worked a series of good field positions, allowing fly half Tyler Heelas to side-step his way past the Goole defence to touch down for I’s third try.
A bad injury to one of the home players meant that the match was held up for 20 minutes whilst he received on field treatment, but on the restart I’s were soon back on the attack. Picking up from the base of the scrum the I’s captain, Rees Middleton, took off like a scalded cat and having outpaced the initial cover defence handed the ball to centre Jack Johnson who stretched away to score unopposed under the sticks.