Report: Goole Vikings 6-16 Rochdale Hornets

Goole Vikings and Rochdale Hornets finalised their preparations for the new Betfred Championship season in a tight affair at Victoria Pleasure Ground, with the Hornets coming away with a 16-6 victory.

It was the final pre-season fixture for both sides before the newly-revamped Championship gets underway next week.

The wet and windy conditions in East Yorkshire had an impact on the game from the start, with Rochdale conceding a penalty right from kick-off. 

The scoring was opened just before the 10-minute mark as Cooper Howlett got the first try for the hosts, before former Hornet Jack Miller added the extras.

There were errors littered throughout the opening stages with both teams giving the ball away in their own territory.

After a sustained period of pressure, the visitors got on the scoreboard moments later as TJ Boyd planted the ball down in the corner. A tough conversion from wide out was missed as the Vikings maintained a 6-4 lead.

The conditions continued to play their part as neither side managed to carve out any clear-cut chances as the penalty count increased. Rochdale went the closest midway through the half, but Max Flanagan couldn’t force his way over in the corner.

Flanagan was in the thick of the action again just before half-time, taking a swirling high kick in acrobatic fashion as Howlett was bearing down on the full-back to ensure the scores remained the same going into the break.

Twelve minutes in to the second half, the Hornets took the lead thanks to a bulldozing effort from Jaden Dayes, before Flanagan converted from in front of the posts to edge his side further ahead.

Winger Callum Shaw went close for the hosts not long after, but determined goal-line defence from Gary Thornton’s side saw him dragged in to touch before grounding the ball.

Boyd got his name on the try-scoring list for the second time just after the hour mark, after weaving his way through the Vikings defence before converting his own try to further extend the lead.

Jordan Syme thought he had got his first try in Hornets colours seven minutes from time, but his score was ruled out for an obstruction.

The momentum did shift in Goole’s favour after this, but they couldn’t turn their pressure in to points as the Hornets defence once again stood firm.

This proved to be the last action of an error-strewn encounter in which both sides can take positives from ahead of their season-openers next week. For Goole, they travel to West Yorkshire to take on Keighley Cougars, while Rochdale get their campaign underway with a short trip to face local rivals Swinton Lions.

Goole Vikings: Tuohey, Halliday, Howlett, Tomlinson, Shaw, Harman, Miller, Arnold, Rutland, Craig, Ferres, Staveley, Aldous. Subs: Barley, Bullock, Coventry, Dawson, Dent, Hodder, Holdstock, Medlicott, Morgan, Ncube, Tait.

Tries: Howlett

Goals: Miller (1)

Rochdale Hornets: Flanagan, Boyd, Ashton, Sa’u, Nixon, Dallimore, Punchard, Dayes, Whitmore, Kelly-Duffy, Wood, Unsworth, Syme. Subs: Will, Hatton, Lloyd, Andrade, Lynch, Waterworth, Holmes, Metcalfe, Trialist A.

Tries: Boyd (2), Dayes

Goals: Flanagan (2)