Able to select the same side that beat Otley last time out, Doncaster moved out of the bottom two with another committed performance on home turf but yet again the bonus point eluded them. They started in lively fashion and, playing their best rugby of the season, had two tries on the board in the first 12 minutes – and both were beauties. The first was created by a break up the left by Rob Liley and John Cannon before the ball was switched right then left again for Donavan Van Vuuren to cut a sharp line to score at the posts for seven points. The second saw Dan Cook burst up the field (with an unmarked Rob Liley outside him) and almost score himself but from the desperate tackle, the ball was moved quickly right and the overlap well constructed by exquisite handling by Russell Earnshaw to allow Dan Montagu to squeeze into the corner. Liley’s touchline kick across the wind was masterful. Fourteen up in as many minutes and the Welsh were reeling under incessant attack. The referee’s patience ran out early as defensive penalties were conceded and flanker Alex Bennett went to the bin as Liley added three more points as the second quarter began. Welsh visibly regrouped at this point and with plan B based on kicking for touch into the home 22 and driving through the forwards, they progressively asserted themselves and had much of the possession until the break. Their only reward, though, against a superb home defence was two Gareth Morgan penalties and a 17-6 deficit at half time.
Another lively Doncaster start brought chances as Cannon, Van Vuuren and John Boden all came close to adding to the try count but the only return for all the effort in the third quarter was two Liley penalties to further extend the lead. On the hour Charlie Harrison came off the bench after a ten week injury absence and immediately showed his worth with a fast flat pass off quick line out ball to Liley, who slipped the ball subtly to Cannon arriving at such pace that he brushed tacklers aside to score under the posts in style. His all round game again won him the supporters’ man of the match award. Again Liley added the extras and with 15 minutes to play the odds were surely on that elusive fourth try. Welsh were having none of it, though, and again showed what a competent pack they have by driving again and again to the point where a try became inevitable and Adam Bidwell was the one on hand to cross the line as full time approached. Still Doncaster went after the try: Van Vuuren went infuriatingly close on the left, and an overlap on the right saw Ngalu Tau knock on in the last move of an excellent match excellently refereed by Gareth Copsey. Doncaster will go into their match up against Rotherham in two weeks time in good heart but would have preferred not to have another blank weekend in between when the momentum is inevitably slowed. The RFU are due to pronounce on possible league expansion, by suspending relegation from National One this season, this coming Friday but on their performances in the post Muller era, Doncaster should be several more places up the table when the season ends.
Doncaster: J Boden, O Cook, M Wood, J Cannon, D Van Vuuren, R Liley (J Benson 75), L Lane (C Harrison 63), S Bunting, S Boden, N Tau, G Kenworthy, D Cook (E Norris 78), R Earnshaw, S Grainger, D Montagu.
London Welsh: M Meenan, G Swales, J Storey, D Hayward, A Cadwallader, G Morgan, A Chiltern (R Shaw 70), J Marsters, C Ritchie (A Tauialo 68), C Hannon, H Quigley, A Harris (C Waring 64), A Bennett, P Cox (R Griffith 77), M Fitzgerald.
Referee: G Copsey (RFU) |
