Doncaster Rugby Club

Yorkshire 3

Doncaster Phoenix 62 Northallerton 9

Phoenix returned to winning ways with an emphatic victory at Castle Park with a ten-try romp over visiting Northallerton.

With Coach Conway now in retirement, Dan Greenslade at a wedding and Rob Harrison out due to a hamstring the backs saw the introduction of Tom Elliot at scrum half, Shandy Lowcock in at inside centre with Ben Millar moving to outside centre and Jon Ellis on to the bench.

Phoenix started the game like a train with Tim Elliot at fly half leading the way looking to provide the pace that would unlock the game. After two minutes the home side won a penalty that Millar duly knocked over.

Almost immediately from the restart Phoenix were on the attack again through the back with the ball being spun left to Foster who from twenty out evaded one tackle and ran into score in the corner will Millar adding the conversion.

Within ten minutes the home side increased the advantage to 17 again with Foster involved who received the ball wide and with Elliot in support to receive the off load scampered over for the touchdown again Millar adding the points.

Not to be outdone the visitors did respond courtesy of two medium range efforts from Fishburn who reduced the deficit to 11.

It wasn’t long though before Phoenix were on the attack and this time Al Kaihau collected the ball from short range to score adding the touchdown from the previous week.

Fishburn kept Northallerton in touch with another penalty.

This was to prove the visitors last score of the day and next up was feasible the best try of the day with a break mid field from Elliot to see the ball spun left and then come back right through ten pairs of hands for Burton to receive on the left wing and go over, with Millar again adding the points and then a try and a further kick to make the half time score 38-9 with the damage already inflicted.

The second half was to provide no let up for the visitors when Phoenix added further scores from Millar picking up on a spilled ball in his twenty two and racing 80 yards to score, Elliot adding to his brace, a typical Ian Oliver try from a catch and drive to open his account for the season and Burton also crossing over with Millar knocking over two of the four scores.

This was morale boosting victory which saw Northallerton on the end of what Phoenix can do when the mood takes them combined with the sunny conditions which complements the game they look to play. Elliot gets man of the match and with Thorne losing Phoenix reduce the points deficit to one at the top of Yorkshire 3.