Doncaster Knights 24 Exeter Chiefs 11
Knights grind out win in abrasive encounter
Without their injured skipper Jason Forster, the Knights came at the Chiefs from the start and but for a malfunctioning line out would have been on the board sooner than the 14th minute. When they did finally break strong Chiefs’ resistance, after their hooker Simon Jenkins had been sin binned for going to ground in the red zone, it was flanker Simon Grainger who was credited with the try off a classic driven maul. Five minutes later, taking full advantage of the extra man, the Knights scored again – and a beauty it was. Fielding a long downfield kick, Fijian number eight Netani Talei stormed upfield, breaking tackles and stepping men with too much ease, to get to the Chiefs’ ’22. Support was there aplenty and after Mark Woodrow had made half a break, centre Brad Hunt burst through to score at the posts. Woodrow had converted both and at 14 ahead it looked like a runaway for the home side.
But the Chiefs gradually began to assert themselves, with a powerful pack driving up the middle and releasing the Fatialofa brothers on crash ball. A score looked inevitable and when Woodrow’s relieving kick failed to find touch, full back Ben Breeze gathered the ball, kicked ahead and won the chase to pick up the ball as he dived over for the try which Tony Yapp could not convert. This visibly lifted Chiefs’ spirits and they spent most of the rest of the half in home territory, but were restricted by a solid home defence to two Yapp penalties; but at the break at 14-11, and the visitors to have second use of the strong breeze, it was anyone’s match.
The second period began with controversy. Loose midfield ball allowed the Knights to hack ahead and when Ben Jones beat Breeze for pace, he was impeded as he went for the touchdown and failed to ground the ball. With the home crowd screaming for what looked a reasonable penalty try, referee Copsey (who was well behind play) opted for the drop out. This incensed the home side and they were immediately back on fiesty attack, with Woodrow taking the three points on offer when the Chiefs were offside. As tempers raised and the hits got harder, errors were forced on both sides. Mark Fatialofa was prominent in attack and only a splendid Jones tackle stopped him going clear. The match was on an edge and could have gone either way. It was finally decided on 75 minutes when replacement Oliver Cook broke the Chiefs’ defence: Talei carried deep into the ’22: Hunt picked up on the run but was held inches short; and from the ensuing goal line maul, with the referee playing good advantage, prop Ngalu Tau was forced over for the deciding score. Jon Benson, on as replacement fly half, added the extras and it was all over.
There was still time for Mark Fatialofa to spend the last few minutes in the sin bin after he was deemed guilty of a dangerous shoulder charge, compounded by a bit of “afters”, and again with an extra man the Knights had one last drive for a bonus point. Ex Sheffield Eagles winger Rob Worrincy had a 10 minute debut off the bench and was released once but the Chiefs defence held firm. Dave Scully also made his record breaking 350th league appearance, bossing the game in the closing stages in his usual manner. The Knights can go undefeated through November with an away win at Newbury next Sunday.
Clive Griffiths was “absolutely delighted with his side’s defence, and pleased that this team can front up when the going gets abrasive”.
He was also pleased to learn that the ”A” team had come away from Wharfedale with a 16-14 win in which John Cannon made his first appearance of the season after serious hip surgery in the summer.
Doncaster; Carter, Bailey (O Cook 60), Hunt, Davies, Van Vuuren, Woodrow (Benson 68), Jones (Scully 57), Bunting, Boden (Dowridge 69), Rawson (Tau 52), Kenworthy (Gross 52), D Cook, Earnshaw, Grainger, Talei (Worrincy 72).
Exeter: Breeze, Luff, J Fatialofa, M Fatialofa, Kingdom, Yapp, Barratt, Parkes, Jenkins, Horne-Smith, Brown, Hodge (Hanks 40), Willis, Miller (Roques 60), Walker.
Referee: G Copsey (RFU) |
