Home captain Kevin Murphy welcomed back bowlers Ben Lamb and Richard Mann for the must-win clash and Lamb, in particular, played a vital role in securing 30 points for the hosts who had suffered a humiliating defeat to local rivals Carlton Towers on the same ground only seven days previously. It wasn’t all plain sailing, though, and once again, Goole were indebted to Scott Thorpe whose excellent form continued with a crucial innings of 44 which dragged his side from 85-4 to 167 all out.

Having lost the toss, Goole were asked to make use of a slow, worn wicket and were soon in early trouble as Oscar Sugden and Ashton Nottingham were dismissed inside the first ten overs with Knaresborough’s impressive new-ball attack of Graeme Whiles and Jordan Tear causing plenty of problems. Ben Earl proved up to the challenge, however, producing one of his most assured displays since moving back to the top of the order and the manner in which he nullified the threat posed by Whiles, in particular, helped Goole set what should have been a solid platform. His dismissal soon after passing 50, preceded by Murphy for 17, looked set to undo that hard work but Thorpe, assisted by Neil Foster (21), drove, cut and glided his way to another vital contribution and when he went with the score approaching 150, Goole at least had something of a score to bowl with.

With a modest 168 needed to win, Knaresborough would have gone to Tea in confident mood but Mann, returning from a six-week absence, generated sharp pace from an otherwise lifeless surface and breached the defences of Andy Ward in the first over of the visitors’ reply. Sam Ryan quickly got the hosts back on track, tucking into Ben Lamb with the help of some ordinary ground fielding, before he lost his off stump to a vicious outswinger from Mann which left wicket-keeper Earl in as much awe as when the former Woodhouse Grange paceman emptied a bottle of Tequila the previous evening. By now, the evergreen Lamb was beginning to find considerable spring from the surface and with the help of two sharp catches from Murphy at midwicket and two successful LBW decisions, soon had four wickets to his name as the Knarseborough slumped to 67-6. The dismissal of Whiles – a former Worcestershire second eleven player – essentially put paid to the game as a contest and Guy Richardson helped himself to three late wickets as Goole cruised to an early finish and claimed a vital victory ahead of a crucial few weeks for the club. With Beverley beating Harrogate and Calton Towers taking a large slice of the points in a winning draw at leaders Sheriff Hutton Bridge Goole are still in contention for promotion, but they know they can afford no more slip ups as the seasons moves into the last part of the season.