GOOLE VIKINGS 6 ROCHDALE HORNETS 16
CHARLIE BOYER, Victoria Pleasure Grounds, Sunday

GOOLE and Rochdale finalised their 2026 preparations in a tight affair at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds before the newly revamped Championship gets underway next weekend.

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

The scoring began just before the ten-minute mark as Cooper Howlett touched down for the hosts, crashing over to the right of the posts, before former Hornet Jack Miller added the conversion.

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

But moments later, after a sustained period of pressure, Hornets got on the scoreboard as TJ Boyd planted the ball down in the corner, but in the windy conditions Max Flanagan couldn’t convert a tough kick from wide out and the Vikings maintained a two-point lead.

The conditions continued to play their part and neither side managed to carve out any clear-cut chances as the penalty count increased. Rochdale went the closest midway through the half but Flanagan couldn’t find 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 fullback to ensure the scores remained the same going into the break.

Rochdale took the lead twelve minutes into the second half, thanks to a bulldozing effort from Jaden Dayes before Flanagan converted from in front of the posts to edge his side in front by four points.

Winger Callum Shaw went close for the hosts not long afterwards, but determined goal-line defence from Gary Thornton’s side saw him dragged into touch.

Boyd, a new addition from Leigh, scored his second try just after the hour mark, with Flanagan converting to extend the lead to ten points.

Jordan Syme thought he had scored 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.

That proved to be the last action of an encounter from which both sides can take positives ahead of their season openers this week.

Goole travel to West Yorkshire to take on Keighley while Rochdale get their campaign underway with a short trip to face local rivals Swinton.

GAMESTAR: Max Flanagan, the influential Rochdale fullback, made some excellent catches in tricky conditions and flourished in attack.

GAMEBREAKER: Jaden Dayes’ early second-half try to put Rochdale in front swung the momentum in their favour and allowed them to get a grip on the game.

MATCHFACTS

VIKINGS
20 Shane Tuohey
2 Tom Halliday
3 Cooper Howlett
4 Keenen Tomlinson
5 Callum Shaw
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Jack Miller
8 Jack Arnold
22 Callum Rutland
10 Tyler Craig
11 Brett Ferres
12 Nick Staveley
13 Harry Aldous
Subs (all used)
15 Jack Aldous
18 Connor Barley
25 Brad Bullock
17 Jack Coventry
21 Bailey Dawson
23 Ben Dent
19 Ben Hodder
24 Alex Holdstock
16 Harry Medlicott
14 Oliver Morgan
27 Leroy Ncube
26 Bailey Tait

Tries: Howlett (9)
Goals: Miller 1/1

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
22 TJ Boyd
3 Tom Ashton
4 Junior Sa’u
2 Dan Nixon
6 Jamie Dallimore
14 Morgan Punchard
8 Jaden Dayes
9 Ross Whitmore
17 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
12 Ethan Wood
11 Matty Unsworth
13 Jordan Syme
Subs (all used)
5 Ben Will
25 Harry Sheridan
10 Lewis Hatton
33 Dan Lloyd
16 Jordan Andrade
18 Daniel Lynch
19 Luke Waterworth
21 Jack Holmes
24 Ben Metcalfe

Tries: Boyd (12, 62), Dayes (52)
Goals: Flanagan 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4; 6-10, 6-16

Rugby Leaguer and League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Jack Miller; Hornets: Max Flanagan

Penalty count: 8-10
Half-time: 6-4
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte