Doncaster 31 Nottingham 36
For the sixth time at home this season Doncaster passed the 30 points mark and the entertainment on offer for the large crowd was considerable. That the home side lost, however, was down to three equally remarkable aspects of the game – first, the almost laughable gifting of two first half tries to Nottingham: second, the astonishing replacement of Rob Liley and Charlie Harrison (playing their final home matches) with half an hour to play; and finally, in the dying moments, Llyr Lane dropping the ball over the Nottingham goal line when diving in for what would have been an equalising try. No wonder the visitors went home smiling, having kept their unbeaten league record against Doncaster.
Without John Cannon and Michael Wood, both injured, Doncaster paired Brad Hunt and Duncan Murray at centre and both were prominent early on. It was Hunt’s break into the visitors’ 22 that first unlocked their defence and after two quick recycles, Simon Grainger found a gap wide on the left for the opening score. Rob Liley looked unusually nervous as he lined up the conversion for what would have been his 1000th point for the club, and scuffed the kick left of the posts. At the other end, Mark Woodrow got three points back for The Greens but they should have had more – Nic Fitisemanu had broken clear with an overlap outside him but took the selfish option and was hauled down, the penalty for offside coming as the referee played advantage. Then the first “Gift Aid” try – Doncaster were again attacking threateningly when Dan Montagu threw a long pass left to nobody and it was a surprised Josh Kay that collected it and ran unopposed 70 metres for an embarrassingly simple try that Woodford converted. That Montagu has already signed for Nottingham for next season explained the conspiracy theories being loudly expressed around the ground! Then after 20 minutes a classic Doncaster try – fast ball off the top of a line out saw Liley break, pass to Murray who drew the defence and released full back John Boden at pace on the angle to score. This time, to a standing ovation, Liley reached the millennium mark, only the seventh player in the National Leagues to have done so for one club. Doncaster were in full flow and five minutes later another try! Phases were strung together with good hands and fast recycling, referee Greg Garner player two advantages and finally Duncan Murray danced through a gap to stretch for the line and his momentum just got him there. Again Liley added the extras. Donovan Van Vuuren was looking back at his best, scything runs up the left and the centre scattering the defence, and it was when another run was supported by Ngalu Tau in the visitor’s half that “Gift Aid” was again on everyone’s lips! Tau was tackled, he laid the ball back and the supporting players drove over it. But nobody picked it up, it caught a foot and was deflected to the side where once again an astonished looking Kay picked it up and strolled the 60 metres to the line with nobody challenging him. This appeared to deflate the home side and the half ended with another charge through by Fitisemanu, a penalty conceded, the quick tap catching the defence cold and a long pass right finding an unmarked Kay to run in his hat trick. Woodrow’s extras gave the half time score of 19-22 an unlikely look.
Hunt was replaced at half time after a groin strain with Dan Storey going to full back and John Boden in the centre. Nottingham started the livelier and twice came close, fist as Montagu was penalised for offside at a ruck, then when Grainger’s knock on gave Nottingham a chance but they wasted it by conceding a penalty on the ground. Gradually Doncaster got the go forward back into their game and Liley managed an exquisite piece of skill with a back flip pass to the charging Oliver Cook coming on an angle in from his wing to burst the tackles and score. Liley’s conversion just missed but the home side had got back in front. At this point, a bizarre substitution of Liley, Harrison and Grainger was called at the same time. A bemused Liley, clearly unhappy with the call, trudged off with the other two and on came Lane, Benson and Peacey. Within three minutes Doncaster had conceded two converted tries – both scored up the middle where the backline was still in a disorganised state. First David Jackson broke through to feed Tim Molenaar in support and his pass gave prop Nigel Hall the simplest of tries. Then almost immediately it was Molenaar, like a knife through butter, to go one on with Montagu who never got a finger on him. Woodrow converted both and suddenly Doncaster were 12 points behind. Nottingham couldn’t believe their luck and the need for direction from the Doncaster touchline was never more apparent. For the next ten minutes the visitors pressed and pressed. John Boden brought off two fine tackles at crucial moments, the Greens maul was help up over the line, and Russell Earnshaw was a tower of defensive strength. At last the pressure was relieved, though, and when a penalty was won in the Notts’ 22, the kick to the corner produced a strong driven maul off which Llyr Lane sniped to scored in the left corner. Benson converted magnificently and the gap was down to five points. More importantly, belief returned and a series of assaults on Nott’s territory began. Sadly, errors also crept in as attacks were forced: Benson kicked too long and the ball went dead, Storey’s pass to cook was forward, Storey then came into the line at pace but lost the ball forward in contact, and finally – when it seemed the game had been saved, Lane stretched one handed for the score and dropped the ball at the goal line. Doncaster turned over the ensuing Nottingham scrum with a great forward effort but could make nothing of the possession and the last attack of a match that was wonderful fare for the neutral supporters. Two bonus points in defeat were one positive and Doncaster will end up well clear of the bottom two, but the lasting sense was of sadness at the unnecessary removal of Liley and Harrison half an hour from the end in their last home appearances. And the cost of that decision.
Next week the final match of the season, at Birmingham Solihull. News at the Supporters’ Lunch about new players, new budgets and a new DoR announcements coming soon all whetted the appetite for next season and what it might bring.
Doncaster: J Boden, Cook, Hunt (Storey 40), Murray, Van Vuuren, Liley (Benson 49), Harrison (Lane 49), Bunting (List 61), S Boden (Roddam 61), Tau (Davies 61), Kenworthy, Norris, Earnshaw, Grainger (Peacey 49), Montagu.
Nottingham: Thompson, Kay (Logan 40), Whyles, Molenaar, Jackson, Woodrow, Brennan, Fowkes (Cook 43), Duffy (Loney 49), Hall, Morley, Arnold, Bowley, Wilkes (Corcoran 40), Fitisemanu (Fores 62).
Referee: G Garner (RFU) |
