Doncaster Rugby Club

What a difference a week makes – a great game of rugby. The Dragons were made to work hard for their victory against a young and enthusiastic Ponty 3^rd XV. A good start and final quarter proved decisive, rewarding the Dragons their first away win of the season.

17 players made the trip over to Ponty with a few new faces replacing the disappointing number of late cry offs. Mick Robinson showed for the first time this year and Joe Henry made his return to rugby a good 13 years since a serious shoulder injury forced him into retirement. Young Mr Thomas showed his usual compassion, tact and diplomacy and dropped him straight in at tight head. Recently retired captain Dave Bottsy Bottomley returned at No8 with Paul Thighs Nidsdale switching to scrum half.

With a pitch almost as wide as it was long the Dragons game plan was to keep the ball tight and grind them down in the first half before opening up in the second. However, fly half Dean The Younger Malton had other ideas deciding to throw the ball wide at every opportunity. The strategy didn’t go down too well with a couple of players; Phil Mills had been on the lash the night before and gipped constantly, and Dave Thomas (picked himself on the wing following a difficult week with Chalfont inflammation (a hereditary condition it seems) looked both worried and pained during the numerous forays into the Ponty half.

But the tactics worked well and coupled with some scything tackles from Glen The Smiling Assassin Storey the Dragons turned round 19 points to the good. Tries from Gary The Elder Malton, Millsy and Thighs, Thomas gingerly popping a couple of easy conversions. Half time saw the introduction of Mick Robinson to the back row and Ray Odd Job Keaton replacing Thomas on the wing (a medical precaution).

After the break things changed dramatically; straight from the restart Odd Job caught the ball on the 22, ran 5 yards back to the left then 5 yards back to the right, stopped, did a Flattley type jig to avoid a would be tackler, repeated the whole routine, then disappeared up his own arse as he launched a pass to no-one in particular. The Ponty wing, being the only person not mesmerised by Odd Job’s antics, dived on the ball to score. Within 10 minutes of the restart Ponty had fought their way back to lead 22 - 19. The Younger’s enterprising approach had back fired – almost to a man the Dragons were plain knackered. The Smiling Assassin was complaining that his leg had gone to sleep, so Thomas brought himself back into the action. A few choice words were needed and given. The Dragons responded superbly to score 19 unanswered points with tries from Millsy, The Elder and The Younger, Thomas adding the extras. Final score 38 – 22.

Once a regular fixture, it is some years since our clubs have met at senior level, hopefully this one will be kept on the calendar for next year.

Man of the Match – Dave Ramsey [Worked his socks off in the second row and was a driving force at close quarters]

W*nker of the Week – Too many candidates to pick out an individual, Odd Job’s jig was funny, The Younger couldn’t kick the ball more than 7 yards all game, though Bottsy Bottomley looked the most likely candidate having been duped into booking a family holiday during the rugby season!! Thus making himself unavailable for the next two weeks – definitely offside Mr Bottomley.

Saturday 21^st October Dragons v Selby at Castle Park. 2pm meet for 3pm kick off.