GRENADE delays Goole-Whitehaven clash as bizarre incident explained
Goole Vikings celebrate a try in 2026
A grenade being found at the Victoria Pleasure Ground delayed Sunday’s Championship clash between Goole Vikings and Whitehaven!
Sunday afternoon’s game had been due to kick off at 3pm, but at 2.36pm, Goole released a club statement asking supporters not to attend until 4pm.
Within that statement, the Vikings confirmed that kick-off had been delayed, stating the delay was ‘due to an incident at the Victoria Pleasure Ground that is currently being handled by the relevant authorities’.
And now, LoveRugbyLeague can reveal that the delay was due to a bomb being found in one of the in-goal areas!
Upon the grenade being found, the area had to be evacuated, with professionals being called in to deal with it in a safe manner.
Eventually, Sunday’s game did take place with a 4.20pm kick-off – meaning there was an 80-minute delay in proceedings.
Hosts Goole were beaten 36-22 by Whitehaven, with the Cumbrians pulling off a second half comeback to earn the two competition points.
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GRENADE delays Goole-Whitehaven clash as bizarre incident explained
Goole have now won just two of their first nine league games this term in the second tier, while that was Haven’s second Championship victory of the year, though they have also had a draw in the nine matches they have played so far in 2026.
Elsewhere in the Championship on Sunday, the clash between Keighley and North Wales Crusaders at Cougar Park was delayed by 45 minutes due to an issue with medical equipment.
That delay did not hinder the hosts though, who ended up comfortable 66-10 winners.
The Cougars now have seven competition points on the board this term, while Crusaders have now lost six of their first nine league games this term.
Sunday’s defeat in West Yorkshire comes at the end of a week which saw the Welsh club’s owners declare they would no longer be funding the club, with a plea put out for fresh external investment.
