Doncaster Rugby Club

After heavy rains, the Monks Lane pitch was not at its best and it was immediately clear that it would cut up badly. The Knights, with skipper Jason Forster on the bench, decided that the game would be won up front and their pack controlled matters for most of the afternoon.

The Knights opened the scoring after 30 minutes. After a strong maul the ball was released to Mark Woodrow whose neat inside pass found full back Anthony Carter cutting a nice line to go in from 22 metres for the try. Woodrow’s conversion shaved the wrong side of the post. The Blues came more into the game as the half came to a close but the Knights’ defence held out with no real scares. Half time and it was 0-5.

Newbury missed a penalty early in the second second half. Knights then won one and kicked to the corner and from the ensuing maul hooker Steve Boden burrowed over for the Knights' second try. Woodrow’s conversion fell just short.

From the restart the Knights were back on the attack but play broke down to give the Blues a defensive scrum. A strong Knights’ drive on the scrum forced the ball to squirt out and prop John Rawson was first to it to score the third try. Again Woodrow was unable to add the extras but with 25 minutes to play, the Knights were in control and the bonus point became a distinct next target.

Newbury to their credit, though, came much more into the game, trying to get wide whenever possible, and there was one occasion when they nearly did score but a knock on relieved the pressure. They were still pressing in the Knights’ half when Paul Bailey read a pass well to intercept it and sprint 70 metres to score under the posts on 68 minutes. This time Woodrow did convert and the bonus point was secured.

Newbury threw everything at the Knights in the closing stages, playing for pride, and got some reward when full back Mal Roberts finally beat an excellent defence to score wide out with the last play of the game. The final score was 5-22 to the Knights who move into equal fourth place.

Knights: Carter, Bailey, Davies, Hunt, Van Vuuren, Woodrow, Jones (Scully 58), Bunting, Boden, Rawson (Tau 55), Gross, Kenworthy (D Cook 58), O Cook (Forster 55), Grainger, Earnshaw.

Referee: B Robertson (RFU)