Match Reports
Graeme Wilson
Photos by T OHearne
Saturday 6 September
UniBond League First Division South
Goole AFC vs. Leek Town
Craig Morley makes his Goole debut against Leek Town
A new look Goole AFC, but a familiar story so far this term as they slid to a 2-1 home defeat against leek Town at the Victoria Pleasure grounds on Saturday.
In fairness it was an improved defensive display with a new centre back partnership of Adam Pollock and Craig Morley settling in well, but once more the Vikings failed to deliver in front of goal, and their discipline cost them dear once more with several cautions and the late sending off of Karl Rose in an innocuous looking incident, but he had trod a dine line before then with referee Holmes and perhaps could have no complaints.
Goole were guilty of one or two reckless, unnecessary challenges and one such occasion led to the first goal for the visitors, scored out of the blue, but in excellent fashion by Jake Moult, after a poor challenge on the edge of the area.
And Goole found themselves two down at the interval when Ben Mills, somewhat fortunately scored off the inside of the crossbar from the rebound after Craig Parry had bravely foiled his first effort. A hint of controversy about the goal, claims for offside turned down by the assistant, and it was probably a good decision.
The Vikings had gone close in the first half with James McDaid heading narrowly over and a good cross from another debutant Willie McGhie had Froggatt in a bit of trouble on the wet surface made even worse by a torrential downpour in the first 45 minutes.
After the break, Goole dominated large spells of the second half, but their chances were few and far between, although Rose could have done better with a close range effort, and substitute Andy Parton had a shot blocked by Froggatt.
The glimmer of hope came fourteen minutes from time when another replacement Jason Hardy scored on his league debut after a shot by Nicky Darker was blocked, but the dismissal of Rose and a couple of wasted late free kicks meant it was another disappointing afternoon for the Vikings faithful who must be wondering when their side are going to win a game.
They face a tough test tomorrow evening at Stocksbridge in the league, kick off 7.45pm
Aug 30 Fa Cup Prelim rd
Goole AFC 0, Newcastle Benfield 4
As if Goole's start to the season could get any worse, they turned in a largely gutless, spineless display to be sent packing from the FA Cup, sponsored by E.ON on Saturday's preliminary round tie against Newcastle Benfield at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds.
From the Northern league, in theory, a step below the Vikings in the pyramid, they simply tore the home side apart with superior finishing, but it has to be said more enthusiasm for the task ahead.
Goole started well enough, and should have been a couple of goals up in the first five minutes but Danny Buttle misseda golden chance in front of goal from James McDaid's cross and then McDaid fired wide when well placed.
And with a suspect defence and a player/manager clearly not 100 per cent fit, they were left to rue those misses when the visitors struck twice in two minutes when firstly Lee Hamilton lobbed Craig Parry from the angle on 10 minutes and then Michael Chilton was allowed the freedom of the Goole 18 yard box to make it two.
Any hopes of a Vikings revival disappeared before the break when Hamilton volleyed home his second in impressive style after Dugdale's pass split the home defence in two.
A replacement for Danby in the shape if Hainsworth did hekp the situation in some respect, but the damage was done and the Vikings simply has no answer with poor finishing in front of goal, and the mod in the camp and on the terraces was one of resignation long before substitute Steve Young strode through on 67 minutes to make it 4-0 and give the unbeaten North East side a passage to the first qualifying round and leave Goole officials pondering another ignominious national cup exit.
Unfortunately the come too regular at the VPG.
AUG 25
Goole AFC 1 Retford Utd 2
Karl Rose is penalized for handball by ref Duncan Street
Goole AFC 1, Retford United 2
Just 48 hours after turning in a most lacklustre performance in defeat at Shepshed, the Vikings went down to another league defeat on Monday afternoon, only this time they were unlucky to do so against the current UniBond League One South champions Retford United at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds.
Only match referee Duncan Street can tell you why he gave the visitors their chance to win the game from the penalty spot three minutes from the end of normal time - handball against Goole striker Karl Rose apparantly - but no one appealed on the Retford side and manager Peter Duffield was more than relieved to accept the good fortune and three points they scarcely deserved.
In fact for long periods the Vikings outplayed the champions, unrecognisable from the dispirited lot that trailed a poor second at Shepshed, and with better finishing would surely have been celebrating their first win of the term.
Mr. Street has infuriated Vikings supporters before, none other than in an FA Vase tie at Glasshoughton back in November 1999 when as an assistant, he not only failed to see a would be equaliser had crossed the line, but also that the defender kept the ball out with his hand at the same time, and they were knocked out then, so a second knockout blow nine years later leaves a bitter taste.
James McDaid and Chris Tate were the players relegated to the bench after the Saturday debacle, but it could have been any as Steve Rollinson and Karl Rose won first starts of the campaign, and the latter proved a real handful all afternoon.
He could, indeed should have had a hat-trick in the first half, this after the Vikings conceded a customary early goal as poor marking once more allowed Stuart Ludlam time and space six yards out to beat Craig Parry from a cross on the left.
The Nottinghamshire side, including Duncan Bray, who left the Vikings last week, offered little after that as Goole responded with fire in their bellies.
A real team effort saw wave after wave of attacks on the visiting goal with Rose heading wide when well placed, and then screwing a shot across goal after good work by Andy Parton, who also missed yet another one on one with the keeper as Ross Turner saved to his left.
Rose did eventually equalise for the Vikings as their pressure had to tell, his finish this time leaving keeper Turner with little chance and at this stage before half time, Retford were looking distinctly wobbly and Goole unrecognisable from the team which surrendered so meekly at Shepshed.
Retford looked better in the opening exchanges of the second half, but they had little to offer in front of goal, and it was no surprise that Bray, after a non-descript show, hardly helped by a strong challenge in the first half, was substituted.
Both keeper made fine saves though to preserve the status quo with Parry amazingly getting across his goal line to save from a far post header by Godber, and then Turner brilliantly turned aside substitute James McDaid's effort after a Danny Buttle cross on the left.
It appeared that a point may be the satisfactory outcome, until the referee intervened three minutes from time pointing to the spot against Rose, as it turned out, and the prolific Mick Godber hammered the penalty past Parry to earn the visitors three points that they were fortunate to get.
Shepshed 4 Goole AFC 2
Goole go 2 Down in the 4-2 defeat against Shepshed
Shepshed Dynamo 4, Goole AFC 2
The Vikings slipped to an ignominious UniBond League One South defeat at Shepshed on Saturday, and there can be no excuses for this defeat at the Dovecote.
Goole were second best, looked down and out from the moment the home side went 3-1 up within twenty seconds of the restart, and manager Nigel Danby urgently has to address a back four that have conceded ten goals in the first three games, and a team where heads went down with it against a better looking Dynamo side, but certainly not top of the table material which is even more disconcerting.
It has to be noted that Goole received precious from the match referee Mr. Williams, who appeared notably susceptible to the home crowd's calls whenever there was n incident and the booking count of four to one says all that has to be said there.
The first Shepshed goal came from a free kick, which should have gone Goole's way further down the field, but in pulling up Danby for a foul on Norris, he booked the Vikings manager and then from the set piece, the ball fell for Robinson to volley home.
Things got worse when Millnes headed home for 2-0 on 32 minutes, but in the Vikings' best spell of the match before the break, they pulled one back when Brad hill headed home in fine style from a Danny Buttle cross.
They could even have been level before the break, Andy Parton failing to get a touch on another Buttle cross.
One of the Vikings' main problems in the back is concentration and within a minute of the restart, they were 3-1 down when a slip by Luke Jeffs allowed Benjamin to fore past Craig Parry at this near post.
There allowed the home side to dominate and Goole were lucky to survive until on 78 minutes Parry did well to turn away Benjamin's low derive but Saunders was the first to react to make it 4-1.
Parton missed a sitter to try and reduce the deficit on 82 minutes, but he was on hand in the third minute of injry time to volley home from close range after good work by Buttle and Rose on the left.
Too little, too late though and any repeat of that against champions Retford will increase the early season anxiety even further,.
Goole AFC 3 Lincoln Utd 3
Tate scores Gooles First Home goal of the season
Kidsgrove Athletic 3, Goole AFC 3
Kidsgrove Athletic 3, Goole AFC 3
Already starting the season with ten points deducted, and emotions running high to say the least, the Vikings experienced more of the same on the field in their opening game at Kidsgrove in UniBond League One South on Saturday.
They led twice, and came from behind once in an exciting opener, which did unfortunately remind those supporters who travelled to the Stan Brown Stadium of the last month's failings of last term in defence which cost them a play-off place at the very least.
Not that they were eveident until the final moments of the first half, by which time they had hit the cross bar twice through player/manager Nigel Danby and Andy Parton, and taken the lead on 34 minutes when the former Scunthorpe United striker showed the predatory instincts which saw him score 30 times in 2006-2007 to net from close range after a Chris Tate knock down.
Indeed Goole played good football in that first 45 minutes with James McDaid looking sharp in the right and Parton up front.
Two minutes into injury time at the end of the first half though and the home side levelled through Hurst after Danby appeared to duck believing keeper Craig Parry would collect and the damage was done.
It spurred the home side to life after the break and for 25 minutes Goole were on the back foot with wave after wave of speedy attacks from the fit looking Kidsgrove front men, but it only brought a goal for Miller, whose well hit, but speculative shot from the left crept in Parry's near post.
The Vikings weathered the storm, and made two substitutions with Karl Rose and Simon Hainsworth replacing Tate and Danby, and the former's physical presence made a difference as they started to get back in the game.
The equaliser though had nothing to do with anything, but a brilliant finish by McDaid, who found the ball at this feet 30 yards out and he delivered a swerving right foot shot which keeper Latham could only help into the net.
Five minutes later and Goole looked set for the win again as McDaid was clattered to the ground in the area by Elder and Danny Buttle, who has not missed a penalty in open play since playing for a Scarborough Under 11 side well over a decade ago, beat Latham with ease for 3-2.
And that seemed to be it, but heartbreak was to come in the 90th minute when three Kidsgrove players were left free at the far post and the ball played back in was headed home by Sanders.
A most entertaining afternoon, but the problems at the back will need to be corrected quickly, for Goole not only to get back those 10 points as soon as possible, but to launch any meaningful attempt on a play-off place.
They entertain Lincoln United at the VPG on Tuesday night, kick off 7.45pm