The Knights dotted down three times, but were defeated 27-19 by a clinical Jersey Reds side this afternoon in the Championship Cup.

Against the run of play, the home side scored twice in the first half to put Doncaster on the back foot in a game that the visitors produced a valiant performance throughout.

The first try of the game went the home sides way in the 21^st minute. After Jersey’s first real period of the pressure, they were clinical in their play and drove over from a good line out with TJ Harris the scorer.

Doncaster rallied back and had a handful of opportunities to bounce back, but couldn’t make the most of them. The visitors were then given an advantage when Max Argyle was shown a yellow card for pulling the maul down in the 29^th minute.

Along with the extra man and a renewed intensity after going behind, the Knights got back level through Matt Challinor. The lock driving over from close range on his return to the side, with Sam Olver slotting away the conversion to earn the visitors the lead.

The home side were then the side to end the half in the ascendancy as Alex Morgan broke away from inside his own half after finding a gap in the Doncaster defence. Brendan Cope missed the conversion, but the Channel Islanders took a 10-7 lead into the break, much to the frustration of the Knights.

After the restart, the home side put the first points on the board with a Cope penalty. However, that didn’t halt the Knights’ battling display as they began to dominate the game. Those efforts were soon rewarded when Gus Warr broke away from a driving maul in the Jersey 22 and dotted down. Olver converted to make the score 13-12.

That renewed the Doncaster efforts as Charlie Foley made a superb break into the Jersey half, offloaded to Steve McColl, but the full-back couldn’t stretch away as he entered the 22 and tried to pass to a supporting Warr only for the Reds to recover the ball.

The next try was always going to be important, whichever way it went and unfortunately it was scored by the home side; much against the run of play. McColl was stripped of the ball in his 22; it was then quickly played wide allowing Brendan Owen scored with ease in the corner. Cope converted to earn a 20-12 lead for the home side.

Cope then added a try to his tally for the afternoon after catching the ball after a suspected knock on from a line out in the Donny 22. The fly-half converting as well to extend their clinical lead.

Despite the score line, the Knights continued to rally and put the last points on the board. Replacement Joe Sproston drove over from close range after a number of pick and goes and score a deserved third try for the visitors.

Although it wasn’t enough to secure any points for Clive Griffiths’ side, who once again dominated a lot of the game at the Stade Santander International, but were undone by a clinical Jersey outfit.

Match Statistics

Knights XV:

15. Steve McColl 14. Howard Packman 13. Lloyd Hayes 12. Charlie Foley(75’Burden) 11. Curtis Wilson 10. Sam Olver 9. Gus Warr(76’Pocklington) 1. Marc Thomas(61’Hislop 2. George Edgson 3. Andy Foster(56’Suter) 4. Matt Challinor 5. Morgan Eames 6. Wian Conradie 7. Michael Hills © 8. Sam Moore(56’Sproston)

Replacements: 16. Ben Hunter 17. Robin Hislop 18. Dan Suter 19. Joe Sproston 20. Will Holling 21. Sam Pocklington 22. Kyle Evans 23. Will Burden

Tries: Challinor, Warr, Sproston

Conversion: Olver

Jersey Reds XV: 15. Auguy Slowik 14. Alex Morgan 13. George Spencer 12. Rodney Iona 11. Brendan Owen 10. Brendan Cope 9. Will Homer 1. Harry Morley 2. TJ Harris 3. Alec Clarey 4. Rory Bartle 5. Kyle Hatherell 6. Max Argyle 7. Josh Bainbridge (capt) 8. Janco Venter

Replacements: 16. Nic Dolly, 17. Roy Godfrey, 18. Leeroy Atalifo, 19. Charlie Beckett 20. Jake Upfield 21. Luc Jones 22. Greg Dyer 23. James Newey

Tries: Harris, Morgan, Owen, Cope  Conversions: Cope 2 Penalties: Cope

Yellow card: Argyle, Venter