London Welsh vs Knights

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Team news from Old Deer Park.

Lynn Howells makes three changes to his side that beat Bristol, with Steve Boden coming in at hooker in place of Steve Lawrie and taking the captains arm band. The other changes are in the backs with changes on both wings. Douglas Flockhart returns while Matt Williams makes his first start, taking the places of Ed Styles & Andy Wright. There's also a welcome return to fitness for three players which sees Tom Davies, Glen Kenworthy & Chris Planchant appear on the bench.

Teams:

London Welsh: P Sampson, D Shabbo, N Starling, P Mackey, E Claasens, A Thomas, R Lewis, D Williams, D George, M Holford, M Corker, M Garvey, J Mills (C), M Hills, N Bonner-Evans.
Replacements: B Gotting, L Ward, M Powell, L Beach, N Runciman, G Evans, M Watson

Doncaster Knights: S McColl, D Flockhart, H Tonga'uiha, B Armitage, M Williams, A Warnock, C Hallam, S Corsar, S Boden (C), N Tau, B Griffiths, G Townson, A Kettle, S Grainger, A Boyde.
Replacements: T Davies, S Lawrie, M Cusack, G Kenworthy, M D'arcy, C Briers, C Planchant.

Live Updates to follow.

2 mins: Misplaced Welsh pass allows Doncaster a line out midway into the home sides half, unfortunately the ball is stolen and the ball is cleared down field. (0-0)

4 mins: Knights on the attack midway into the home sides half, the forwards have the ball and after the ball is moved forward by the forwards it goes to Matt Williams who calmly kicks the ball on and touches the ball down to score. Ali Warnock adds the conversion from the touchline. (0-7)

9 mins: Doncaster penalised right infront of their posts, five metres out. London Welsh have decided to take the points. Aled Thomas steps up and puts the kick over. (3-7)

13 mins: Welsh on the front foot, they have put in at the scrum five metres from the Knights line, the ball is and as Chris Hallam steals away with it the Knights are penalised. Thomas puts the ball into touch for a line out, which they win and start to charge to the line from. With nothing much happening the referee blows for a Welsh scrum. (3-7)

15-18 mins: Pressure still on as scum is reset, as the players engage the scrum half appears reluctant to put the ball in and the referee awards yet another penalty. The home side again choose to reset the scrum. Finally the ball goes in and comes out but as it makes its way to midfield the Knights are penalised again. As the play is now infield Thomas has decided to go for the penalty kick & his effort is good. (6-7)

19 mins: Great break down the left flank by Errie Claasens who finds his fullback Paul Sampson who had an all but free run in to score but messes up his chance as he just fails to take in the pass. (6-7)

25 mins: Knights enjoying a good spell of possesion in the oppositions half, the phase of play comes to an end as Ali Warnock finds touch just inside their 22 forcing them to defend a line out. (6-7)

28 mins: A mistake from full back Paul Sampson allows Doncaster territory in their half, and as a result they are awarded a penalty by the referee as the play was moving into the centres. Ali Warnock steps up to take the kick and puts it over. (6-10)

32 mins: Dreadfull knock on from Aled Thomas on his own 22 which allows Doncaster to set a scrum in attacking position. Chris Hallam puts the ball in and Andy Boyde has it secured, the ball goes wide to Matt Williams who breaks for the line but is put into touch and crashes into the corner flag. (6-10)

35 mins: Knights attacking again, this time a scrum five metres from the line on the left side of the field, Hallam puts the ball in but the Knights are penalised as the ball is lost. (6-10)

39 mins: Knights caught offside after a Chris Hallam box kick, which allows Thomas to find touch inside the Knights 22. The home side secure their line out but the Knights force the man into touch and have a line out of their own. (6-10)

40 mins: Chris Planchant takes to the field for the final minutes of the half as a blood replacement for Simon Grainger and inside his first minute on the field he puts in a bit tackle preventing the Welsh from making further ground into the Knights half.

40+ mins: Knights penalised for going in at the side, Thomas steps up to take the penalty and puts his kick wide. (6-10)

HALF TIME @ Old Deer Park : London Welsh 6 Doncaster Knights 10

Knights Substitution: Ngalu Tau off, replaced by Michael Cusack.

42 mins: London Welsh penalised for going in at the side. Ali Warnock steps up to take the kick from roughly just short of halfway into their half, his kick is good. (6-13)

47 mins: As the Knights forwards are driving the maul forwards the Welsh are penalised for an infringement. The big boot of Stevie McColl finds touch inside their 22. From the line out the Knights are awarded a scrum five metres from the line, Chris Hallam puts the ball in and then peels away withit breaking for the line. As support is there to help him the referee awards a Knights penalty. The scrum is chosen and set, Chris Hallam puts the ball in, now for the third time and the referee awards another penalty for the Knights. (6-13)

51 mins: The Knights have chosen to reset the scrum again, as the ball is held at the back of the scrum with the forwards charging the referee awards the Knights a penalty try. Ali Warnock adds the conversion. (6-20)

Knights Substitution: Stuart Corsar off, replaced by Tom Davies.

58 mins: Knights penalised as the ball is coming wide. Thomas decides to go for the three points & his kick is good. (9-20)

61 mins: Tom Davies sent to the sin bin for a marginally late shoulder tackle on Thomas after he'd kicked the ball down field. (9-20)

63 mins: Knights on the counter attack after the ball is stolen by Bevon Armitage, just as the ball had made it to half way the final pass from Glen Townson to release Matt Williams is just a bit forward and the Welsh have a scrum. (9-20)

65 mins: London Welsh on the attack in the Doncaster 22 but the move is ended as the home side knock on. Chris Hallam has the ball in his hands ready to put in right on his own 22. The ball comes and is taken away but Hudson Tonga'uha, the ball is then fed back to Stevie McColl who finds touch midway up to the half way line. (9-20)

69 mins: Knights awarded penalty, Stevie McColl again finds touch deep in the Welsh half. The line out is won, once again by Bryn Griffiths and the ball is now infield but the referee has blown for a Knights scrum. (9-20)

72 mins: As the Knights are attacking down the centre, the ball comes back to Ali Warnock who puts in the cross field kick to Dougie Flockhart on the wing who narrowly misses out on catching the ball and ends up knocking it dead into touch. (9-20)

Knights Substitution: Andy Boyde off, replaced by Chris Planchant.

76 mins: After exchanging kicks, Sampson the Welsh fullback finds touch midway inside the Knights half. The Knights are able to secure the line out but lose the ball as they are turned over shortly after but as they bring the ball wide along the line it is knocked on, ending that move. (9-20)

79 mins: Greg Evans breaks well down the right flank and makes good ground into the Knights 22 but as he tries to pass inside the ball in intercepted by Bevon Armitage and the danger is cleaned up as the Knights find touch down field. (9-20)

80 + mins: London Welsh enjoying probably their best spell of possesion of the ball in the dying minutes of the game & as they nearly reach halfway they lose the ball as it gets knocked on. The referee then blows for full time.

FULL TIME @ Old Deer Park: London Welsh 9 Doncaster Knights 20