Head Coach Martin Hall fumed at the way Rovers sloppy play saw them slip from top spot in the LHF Healthplan National League 1 table as the Dragons dominated for lengthy periods, and with neither field position nor pressure sustained on the home side.

 

Hall was reeling at his sides failure to put the pressure on Doncaster's half-back Graham Holroyd, who had a big repertoire of kicks, all of which he had been able to use in the duration of the game after Paul Pickering's injury scare. The young hooker was the man to track the hosts' danger man.

Craig Farrell took an early knock in the contest, being left laid out following what appeared to be a three man collision. But a look at the video showed the winger was a victim of another elbow-led (off-the-ball) tackle from Gareth Handford, the same player who left his mark on Makali Aizue in Good Friday's ATC battle.

Former Dragon Paul Mansson created the opening try of the afternoon when he hoisted a bomb which Dale Holdstock knocked back to Scott Thorburn. The Aussie scrum-half slipped his pass out to Farrell who crossed over the whitewash and full-back Lynton Stott added the extras, with the conversion attempt.

 

Doncaster soon got on the scoreboard with a Holroyd penalty goal when Jamie Bovill was penalised for not playing the ball properly. It was a harsh decision for the impressive prop as it appeared Andy Fisher had knocked the ball out of his hands.

Holroyd then took control of the game, basically kicking the Robins to death, landing kicks accurately around the field, including two superb 40/20 kicks.

Referee Colin Morris sent Fisher to the sin-bin for dissent mid-way through the first-half, but this never stopped the host from taking the lead. Moving the ball right through several hands made room for winger Dean Colton to score a 23rd minute try converted by Holroyd, making the score 8-6.

 

Seven minutes later the home side made ground with former Rovers Academy half-back Shaun Leaf racing 70 metres to give the Dragons space. With no way through the visitors defence, scrum-half Chris Hough decided to land a drop-goal which extended the lead to 9-6.

Rovers suffered a blow when Pickering was rushed to the hospital. The hooker had to be helped off the field on a stretcher and with his neck in a brace following a hard tackle.

Holroyd added a further penalty when Leaf was tackled high, but the youngster soon saw himself sin-binned when he prevented Mansson chasing a grubber kick close to the home line with a blatant barge. Stott took his time with the successful penalty goal as the visitors reduced the deficit to 11-8 before the interval.

Rovers thought a quick strike after the interval could pay dividends, and it almost did. Aizue spotted a gap from the play-the-ball close to the Doncaster line and dived in for the try many fans thought would be the turning point. Stott landed his third goal to restore Rovers lead at 14-11.

 

Moments later the host were again in front when hooker Craig Cook popped up to score a try, Holroyd missing the conversion attempt. Maintaining their pressure and Cook was again on hand to score his second try in the 48th minute following a high bomb the Rovers defence failed to defuse. Holroyd was back to business, booting the Dragons 21-14 ahead.

More punishment followed when Rovers lost the ball in the tackle for Dragons loose-forward Craig Lawton to scoop up and put over the line to score. Holroyd missed the conversion attempt but soon made amends with a penalty goal as Rovers were penalised for punching in the tackle, despite having the possession.

Worse was to come, Mansson landed a late 40/20 only for Rovers to loose the scrum against the head. Thankfully Doncaster got no reward but Ally McClarron was sent to the blood-bin following a nasty bleed to the nose and cut to his mouth.

With struggling Halifax next to face Hull KR in a fortnight, it is hoped this defeat was just a blip. Hall has already admitted the side need to go back to basics and the week off has come when we need the game, yet his troops will be put through their paces during the training