Doncaster Disappoint
Doncaster’s four match winning run came to an abrupt end with a largely lacklustre display at Park Lane where the visiting support appeared to be in the majority. Things had begun well with all the early pressure coming from the visitors and Rob Liley striking two penalties to take the lead. Ed Norris was hauled down one stride short before Oliver Cook touched down minutes later after a long miss-pass by Liley created the opening, and when Liley added the extras Doncaster were coasting and in total command with a quarter of the game gone. Then came a moment of madness that changed everything– with loose ball again won and another attacking position set up close to the Park line, a TJ intervention brought play all the way back to where Simon Bunting had punched an irate Tim Fourie, and the resultant penalty was kicked to touch close to the Doncaster line. Although the catch and drive was repelled, Phil Jones slipped through Brad Hunt’s weak tackle to score at the posts. Minutes later Richard List was sin binned for killing the ball, Jones took three points, and Park suddenly believed they could compete. A highly questionable offside penalty then brought the scores level before Liley again edged Doncaster ahead with his third just before the break.
Full of renewed belief Park came out all guns blazing and with a fast move down the left their backs cut through the Doncaster defence for Chris Wilkinson to score. Jones conversion gave them a lead they never lost. Doncaster did have a ten minute spell in which Hunt, Van Vuuren and Norris all went close but the opportunities were all lost to errors: a rolling maul went close only for the ball to be stripped out by a defender; and another saw the ball inexplicably knocked on as the score beckoned. But once again, points were gifted to the hosts when Bunting collapsed a scrum, then players went to ground at the tackle, and late on the defence was nowhere to be seen as De Jagger, McCormack and Feeley ran clear up the right and simple good handling gave Feeley the easiest try he will have scored all season. The only Doncaster reply was one more Liley penalty which took his tally to 998 league points for the club and sets up a celebration when the magical mark will surely be attained at home next Saturday at home against Nottingham (2.30pm) when they will be without Michael Wood who ruptured a ligament in a hand to end his season prematurely. Doncaster will have to lift their game once again – this was a really disappointing performance after such early promise and right back to the Jekyll and Hide stuff of earlier this season. When the club President was heard to say that this trip had been a waste of petrol, nobody disagreed with him!
Sedgley Park; De Jagger, Feeley, Voortman, Woof, Wilkinson, Jones, Albinson (McCormack 67), Gazzola (Roberts 65), Oxley, Evans (Thomas 65), Fourie (Rowe71), Lund, Senior, Anania, Skurr.
Doncaster: Boden J, Cook, Hunt, Wood (Benson 57), Van Vuuren, Liley, Lane (Harrison 65), Bunting, Boden S (Roddam 79), List (Davies 79), Norris (Rule 65), Kenworthy, Earnshaw, Grainger, Montagu.
Referee: B Robertson (RFU) |
