Doncaster Rugby Club

Aireborough 13 Doncaster Phoenix 14

This week Phoenix visited old rivals Aireborough in what was sure to be a tough encounter, with both sides looking for a win. Phoenix wanted to maintain their recent run and Aireborough wanting to kick start their season after some narrow losses.

Phoenix fielded a virtually identical side to the one that beat York last week with only Liddle coming in for Fielding, also Oakley and Kaihau returned to the squad on the bench after a couple of weeks off.

After arriving at Aireborough thirty minutes before kick off, instead of an hour due to Captain Longfaces fantastic convoy leadership skills, where we struggled to get off roundabouts because he had his blinkers on and was quite content to stay in the inside lane near the railing. Eventually Longface chose the right route and got us to the ground.

From the start of the match it was clear that a good kicking game and a solid defence would really come to the front on Saturday, and it was our two old horses who provided it. In the first ten minutes Longface had made three crunching tackles, leading by example as always, and Jazz’s kicking game was fantastic, pinning Aireborough inside their own twenty-two. Off a lineout fifteen yards out Aireborough failed to clear well giving Phoenix first phase ball on the twenty two, a standard shortened lineout gave Nick Germain room to power over the gain line and provide quick ball. After a couple of phases Phoenix found themselves ten yards out, where Morris, the clubs top try scorer by quite a few, took an inside ball off Miller to bosh the unsuspecting full back and get over the line. Miller converted. For the first time this season Phoenix had taken the game to a side and scored in the first ten minutes.

From the restart Aireborough tried to kick start their game but with the wind in their faces they struggled to clear the ball with any significance. They then tried to run the ball but with the pitch being very heavy their backs struggled to get any momentum and Phoenix found themselves coping well in defence, which Aireborough has embarrassed in the past.

After a twenty minute period in the middle of the park another good kick by Jazz put Aireborough back in their twenty-two and under a lot of pressure, the scrum half tried to box kick to clear the danger only for Lowcock to steal the ball almost immediately after it had left the nines foot. This left Lowcock clear with a two on one against the full back. He must not had heard Morris on his inside as he chose to draw the fullback under pressure and pass to Tim Elliot outside allowing Tim to get over for his first try of the season. Miller Converted again. Half time score 14-3

In the second half Phoenix knew that Aireborough would pile on the pressure with the wind now in their favour, and for the first twenty minutes Phoenix was under the cosh. Some good tackling from Tim Elliot, Shandy Longworth and Lowcock really plugged any gaps showing and Roodt and Liddle both put their bodies on the line on more than one occasion.

Coach Senior then took the decision to bring on Kaihau for Liddle and Oakley on for Oliver, two players who can really change a game when on form. On Saturday they both made a fantastic impact, Oakley hitting well and Kaihau carrying well. Phoenix found themselves driving their way out of trouble and got all the way to the Aireborough try line with a try beckoning, only for the ref to give a penalty against for coming in from the side. Not a popular decision.

Aireborough then rallied themselves for one more big push and passed well through the backs and drove well in the forwards to create a chance out wide, which the full back took well. This made the scores 14-13 with the ref allowing one phase off the kick off. Aireborough tried everything to keep the ball alive but they eventually lost the ball and the final whistle went. Phoenix the victors 14-13.

In summary, our two early scores gave us every chance for the victory and we always looked able to stop everything thrown at us. Notable performances by Longworth in defence and Jazz’s boot being very effective. It was a well controlled victory, we played the right style of rugby in the second half, by keeping the ball safe and wearing Aireborough down. The two subs who came on gave us a much needed boost at the right time. Well stuck out lads.