Doncaster Knights 22 Bedford Blues 12
Marvellous end to wonderful season
There was nothing “end of season” about this encounter in which both sides played with huge commitment, at geat pace and intensity with the result in doubt until winger Paul Bailey scored arguably the try of the season in the closing minutes to seal it.
A lively start had seen both sides close to scoring in the first two minutes, but the Knights settled first. A Mark Woodrow penalty hit the post but it took just 15 minutes for a try to come. Bailey put up a towering kick which drifted in the breeze, bounced in the heart of the Blues startled defence, and from an ensuing ruck prop Ngalu Tau popped out to pick up loose ball and stroll unopposed to the line. Woodrow converted with ease. Bedford retaliated immediately in the nature of this end to end game and after Ollie Brown had created the opening, James Pritchard chipped ahead and was denied a follow up try only by the pace of Wes Davies conceding the minor. From the attacking scrum that followed, number eight Adam Kettle picked and drove through the home back row to score. Pritchard added the extras and the match was tied. At the other end Bailey’s long diagonal run almost brough results: Tau’s charge into the heart of the Blues defence forced a penaty; but after electing for a close in scrum instead of easy points, the Knights backs knocked on with a try looking likely. Home pressure was telling as the Blues penalty count increased, and when Karl Dixon saw yellow for an off the ball obstruction, again Russ Earnshaw (deutising as captain for the injured Jason Forster) spurned the goal kick in favour this time of the close in line out – but the Blues stole it and another chance went begging. Four turnover balls in quick succession had defences scrambling on both sides and the half ended with Woodrow’s long penalty shot drifting just wide. The Knights had edged the half but the scores were tied in an enthralling contest.
The Knights went ahead again early second half with a delightfully worked score. Off a scrum on the visitors’ 22, Ben Jones broke, slipped a clever pass to Netaini Talei and his inside flick out of contact to the racing Wes Davies in off his wing on an angle saw the winger split the defence and scorch to the line for his tenth of the campaign. It had been worked in an instant, at high speed with clinical precision. Woodrow converted. At the other end pressure gave Pritchard a penalty chance that was inches wide; and two further penalties kept them on the front foot. The home defence, though, found the Blues attacks too predictable and were able to defend in some comfort, but with some of the biggest tackles of the season in evidence – ones by Tom Davies and Simon Grainger in particular felt around the ground! A Bedford score, though, was coming: Pritchard and Alex Page came close, denied only by the combination of Anthony Carter and Bailey, before Page finally touched down. For the second time in the game a high up and under (this by Brendan Burke) wasn’t dealt with, the ball bounced awkwardly on the firm surface, and the alert Page took full advantage. It was too wide out for Pritchard to level the scores but it was game on. During the chaos leading to the score, a moment of farce. As the try was being awarded, a touch judge flag was in – and an apoplectic Simon Bunting was sent to the sin bin for a punch which he clearly did not throw. To his credit the TJ quickly recognised his case of mistaken identity and advised the referee, who could not recall Bunting who very rightly felt more than agrieved. It left the Knights a man short with fifteen minutes to play and could have affected the outcome, but it served to fire up the home side who gave everything to the closing period, even forcing a penalty at the scrum while still a man short, and Woodrow stroked it between the posts to make the lead five points. Bedford weren’t conceding the game and did their best to steal it but then came the moment of the game. Another steepling high kick into the Knights’ half was fielded safely by Carter, with Bailey in close support, and they both set off towards halfway close to the right touchline. Carter’s slick pass on halfway gave Bailey half an opening and he took it in style , at pace, as he sprinted along the line slowing and stepping three separate defenders before scoring wide out to a huge ovation for a sublime piece of finishing skill. It was his tenth try of a season which started slowly for him, with injury, but blossomed in the closing weeks.
Clive Griffiths, and Jason Forster, were purring with delight at this match performance which capped a hugely successful season in which only Leeds and the Pirates won at Castle Park, and which ended in the club’s highest ever league place. A Cup Final at York on Wednesday closes the season, and Griffiths will have a lot of checking up to do on Monday to see what sort of side he can field after the knocks and celebrations after this tough game.
Doncaster: Carter, Bailey, Cannon, Davey, W Davies, Woodrow (Rees 78), Jones (Storey 62), T Davies, Boden (Phillips 62), Tau (Bunting 53), Kenworthy, Gross (Griffiths 58), Earnshaw (Cook 76), Grainger (Peacey 78), Talei.
Bedford: Burke, Moir (Page 40), Roberts, Allen, Pritchard, Patson (Broadfoot 65), Dixon, Volland (Cook 58), Johnson (Whitehead 62), Cole (Graham 77), Phillips, Percival (Comb 62), Strauss, Brown, Kettle (Brady 77).
Referee: G Garner (RFU)
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