Driffield continued their pre-season preparations with another home fixture, this time against Goole. After an excellent showing against higher-ranked opposition the previous week, the Woldsmen would have been hoping to kick on in preparation for what looks to be a particularly competitive league this year. After a squad run-out last weekend, the team sheet had a more familiar look about it, albeit still missing some probable starters. Robinson and Furbank started in the halves, with Stephenson and Dinsdale outside. Lawrence made his first appearance on the wing with Watts at full back. Clappison and Zavatti propped the scrum with Ramsden at hooker. Cooper and Warkup formed a new look second row allowing Dinsdale to play in the back row with Turner and Mewburn.
It was Goole who made the better start, attacking with plenty of energy through their backs. They won a penalty and found touch close to the Driffield line, but found their lineout disrupted and Furbank cleared with a long kick to touch. Driffield again disrupted the Goole line-out and the ball found its way to Robinson. He broke blind, showing good awareness of space, and found Turner on the inside who touched down for the opening try. Dinsdale failed to convert. Driffield 5 – 0 Goole.
Driffield had the upper hand in these early exchanges, but early season rustiness was evident, with plenty of penalties conceded and mistakes made. When things did go to hand, they looked dangerous, and led to their second try. Furbank found Mewburn running a hard angle back against the defence and he sped through a gap. The ball was recycled to Furbank who evaded a couple of tackles to score next to the posts for a converted try. Driffield 12 – 0 Goole.
The restart went straight into touch and, from the midfield scrum, the ball was worked wide to Murray. Driffield recycled well and Furbank found Dinsdale who swerved round his man and showed his pace to cross in the corner for a try he converted himself. Driffield 19 – 0 Goole.
The last try of the half belonged to Goole. Driffield conceded a penalty which Goole kicked deep into Driffield territory. From the resulting lineout, they mauled well and crashed over the line. A conversion left the half time score at Driffield 19 – 7 Goole.
A backs move, which looked to have worked Lawrence into space, saw Driffield penalised for crossing. From the resulting scrum, Goole chipped through and won the race to add another try to their tally and leave the score Driffield 19 – 12 Goole.
They repeated the tactic, with a clever chip over bouncing well and getting Goole in behind the home side. A chip to the corner was well tidied-up by Stephenson this time, but from the resulting scrum Goole broke through a weak tackle to level the scores. Driffield 19 – 19 Goole.
Driffield reasserted some control when the resulting kick off was knocked-on. From a kick to touch, they scored a well-worked try. Driffield recycled the ball in midfield and Furbank again found Mewburn hitting a good line. He was dragged down, and the ball worked wide to Dinsdale who scored his second try of the afternoon. Driffield 24 – 19 Goole.
Driffield had injected more pace into the game and were looking more dangerous, so it was slightly against the run of play when Goole levelled things up again. A simple move from a midfield scrum saw the visitors burst through another tackle and score in the corner. The conversion was missed leaving the score level at Driffield 24 – 24 Goole.
Driffield edged back in front with a good team try. Interplay between Zavatti and Cooper gave them field position in the Goole twenty-two, before the ball was moved wide to Stephenson to cross, but too far out for Dinsdale to convert. Driffield 29 – 24 Goole.
Driffield nearly added a final try when clever offloading found Murray who was dragged down just short. The resulting scrum saw Driffield marching the visitors backwards, but before the try could be scored the whistle was blown and a perplexed looking Dinsdale was despatched to the bin. Final score Driffield 29 – 24 Goole.
Driffield conclude their pre-season schedule away at Middlesbrough next week before a tough start to the new season with three local derbies in the first three weeks.